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Venezuela electricity crisis expands to national scale

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2026-09-16 02:03 UTC → 2026-09-19 00:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The electricity crisis in Venezuela has expanded to a national scale, with instability affecting 99% of households in Zulia, 98% in the Andes, and 82% in Caracas. Recent voltage fluctuations and blackouts have impacted multiple states, including Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón, Miranda, Yaracuy, and Portuguesa, disrupting mobile networks and internet services. Political tension persists regarding the cause of the failures. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has accused “extremist mafias” of sabotaging the national electrical system by manipulating gas pressures in thermoelectric systems to protest recent oil agreements involving US and Italian energy companies, such as Chevron and Eni. Opposition leaders reject these claims, citing long-term infrastructure neglect, lack of maintenance, and systemic corruption. Additionally, opposition leader María Corina Machado has raised concerns regarding the transparency and sovereignty implications of these oil deals. In Caracas, the crisis has triggered local unrest. Residents in the La Candelaria parish and Libertador municipality have staged protests following prolonged outages, with some sectors reporting up to eight consecutive days without power. Community leaders, including Carlos Julio Rojas of the Caracas Northern Front, noted that the blackouts have caused food to spoil and prevented hydraulic pumps from functioning, leading to water shortages. Critics allege that Corpoelec staff lack the necessary tools and spare parts to perform repairs, suggesting the institution is in a state of “technical collapse due to mismanagement.” On September 15, widespread voltage fluctuations and power drops affected the Gran Caracas area, including Miranda and La Guaira, as well as Bolívar, Carabobo, and Aragua. These fluctuations also impacted the Caracas Metro, causing darkness in several stations and temporary service delays. On September 18, legal repercussions followed protests in Barinas triggered by power failures exceeding 16 continuous hours.

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