Cuba's electrical grid collapse frustrates residents
MIAMI: The Cuban people have been left in the dark after their nation's electrical grid collapsed Friday.
"It was really frustrating because we don't know how long it will last," Omar McKenzie, a Cuban resident in Havana told CBS News Miami.
"Tell me about the situation? How has it been for the past couple of days with no electricity?" CBS News Miami asked.
"People are saying that we have a black weekend with no power. It was an entire weekend in the dark," McKenzie said.
The blackout triggered protests throughout the island. In additional Hurricane Oscar struck the island.
Cubans chanted to turn the power on.
"It's dreadful for the Cuban people," McKenzie said. "There's no electricity. Even the hospitals aren't working, The regime claims the hospitals are working. They are not from the reports we are getting.
Orlando Gutierrez, of the Assembly of the Cuban resistance, said the best resorts the hotels don't have electricity, including ones for tourists.
The situation is dire for an island already suffering from severe shortage of food, fuel and medicine.
Liss Martinez arrived from Cuba on Monday. CBS News Miami caught up with her at Miami International Airport, and she said the situation is bad really bad and it is complicated.
McKenzie said the power has been restored in certain areas in Havana as the rest of the island still remains without powet.
No one is saying when the power will be restored.
McKenzie said people are not only are frustrated because of the lack of power but because they have lost the little they have. The food in the refrigerator has spoiled.
