Martín Vizcarra is serving preventive detention for corruption case

Cuba is preparing to record this Sunday the largest simultaneous blackout in its recent history. The forecasts of the Electrical Union (UNE) indicate that up to 72% of the national territory will be affected by electricity outages during the hours of highest consumption.

The energy deficit in figures

The state company reported that during peak hours the system will have only 1,000 megawatts of generation compared to an estimated demand of 3,100 megawatts. The deficit reaches 2,200 megawatts and the expected impact is 2,230 megawatts.

The crisis is due to the limited availability of the generation park. Ten of the country’s sixteen thermoelectric units remain out of service due to breakdowns or maintenance. More than a hundred distributed generation engines and several floating power plants are idle due to lack of fuel.

If the forecasts are met, the blackout will exceed the record recorded last Friday, when the outages affected 71% of the country.

The Cuban government has described the energy situation as “acute”, “critical” and “extremely tense.”

Specialists attribute the deterioration of the system to obsolete infrastructure, decades of insufficient investment and difficulties in guaranteeing the supply of fuel. These factors have aggravated power outages and population discontent.

An investigation coordinated by Germany and the United Kingdom, with the support of Europol, revealed an organized phenomenon: sexual assaults committed in romantic relationships, driven by misogynistic online communities. The operation, named Project Medusa, began in April 2026 and was announced this weekend.

Security forces from seven European countries participated, plus Brazil, Canada and the United States. Europol coordinated the exchange of information. The results: 156 people, including victims and alleged aggressors, identified, 274 new lines of investigation opened and four virtual communities located that promoted these crimes. So far, 113 criminal investigations have been launched.

Keys to the investigation

The authorities described the case as a change of approach: it is not about isolated events, but rather a phenomenon reinforced by digital spaces where aggressors share methods and normalize abusive behavior. According to Europol, many suspects used encrypted messaging apps and private forums to plan attacks and facilitate the illegal trade in sedative medications.

“The investigation shows that these attacks are not isolated acts, but a mass phenomenon fueled by online group dynamics,” the agency noted.

Researchers maintain that these communities function as echo chambers that promote the objectification and dehumanization of the victims, almost always women. In many cases, the abuses continued for years and were committed by people in positions of trust or authority.

In addition to sexual crimes, the administration of sedative substances, serious injuries and even attempted homicide are investigated, due to the risk of the drugs used to incapacitate the victims. The operation is reminiscent, due to its modality, of the case of Gisèle Pelicot in France.

Europol highlighted that international cooperation and the permanent exchange of intelligence were decisive in identifying those responsible. The message: those who use the anonymity of the Internet to organize these crimes “cannot count on impunity.”

The United States commemorated the 250th anniversary of its independence on Saturday amid a heat wave that affected millions and political polarization that marked the day. President Donald Trump spoke on the National Mall in Washington, before a fireworks display touted as historic. On Friday, at Mount Rushmore, he gave a somber speech about the threat of communism.

The celebrations spread throughout the country. In Chicago and New York there were fireworks; The Big Apple began the holiday with a midnight ball drop, similar to New Year’s, and sailboats paraded in front of the Statue of Liberty. However, much of the East Coast suffered temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C). In Washington, a rodeo and the main parade were canceled; only a smaller parade moved down Capitol Hill as spectators sought shade.

Extreme heat and tight events

In the District of Columbia, an extreme heat warning was issued, with rates that could reach 46 °C (115 °F). National Mall organizers monitored the weather. Temperatures above 38°C were forecast from the southeast to New England, with possible relieving thunderstorms. Despite the heat, a Guinean-born Marine was naturalized at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia, wearing his dress uniform. In Brattleboro, Vermont, a 7-year-old girl ran to pick up candy during a parade. In Louisville, Kentucky, people signed a copy of the Declaration of Independence with a handmade pen.

Polarization and ultranationalist presence

Dozens of members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front marched in Washington wearing masks and Confederate flags. No arrests were reported, according to the Metropolitan Police. In Philadelphia, the birthplace of the nation, fireworks began at noon near Independence Hall. Hundreds of visitors endured the heat as they awaited the celebrations, which coincided with a World Cup match between France and Paraguay.

“It’s a big party here,” said Carlos Alban, who traveled from Chicago to see the game, upon arriving at the stadium. He added that he saw a fan dressed as one of the Founding Fathers.

In Houston, before another World Cup match, astronauts from the International Space Station sent a message alluding to the holiday. The 250th anniversary, which was supposed to be a reflection on the history of the superpower, was marked by extreme weather and deep political divisions.