The Curatorial Gaze of Scarcity
When the headlines announce "Cuba's power outages," the astute observer might ask, "Why?" Mainstream coverage typically presents these as isolated incidents, a symptom of an 'inefficient' or 'failing' system, and leaves it at that. But this framing conveniently omits the elephant in the room: the United States embargo against Cuba, a policy in place since 1960. It’s what one might call a
deliberate omission, a sleight of hand designed to direct public perception away from the policy's intended consequences. CASE A: How Cuba's suffering is framed. The ABC News piece, like many others, highlights 'power outages,' 'scarcity,' or generalized 'economic hardship.' The implication is often that these are internal failings, a natural result of the Cuban government's policies. There's a
subtle but persistent dehumanization, reducing the struggle to a photo-op of deprivation. CASE B: Now, imagine a similar level of infrastructural collapse or widespread scarcity were to magically afflict a nation considered 'friendly' to U.S. interests – say, a major oil producer in the Middle East or a key European ally. Would the coverage merely display photos of the suffering, or would there be
an immediate, intense focus on external factors, potential sabotage, or 'humanitarian assistance' offers? One might recall the swift, global outpouring of aid and media attention for countries affected by natural disasters, often framed as needing 'international support' against forces beyond their control. THE FRAMING: The language itself is telling. For Cuba, it's 'power outages' – a neutral,