A Hero behind the Light

Truth only triumphs when accompanied by passion. And such passion resonates in the voice of Jayrudel Fuentes Sosa, who has led a brigade of the Línea Aéreas business unit of the Havana Electric Company since 2013.

Dedicated to a job that demands a high level of safety, he completed the lineman course in 2003, and just a few months later, as a baptism by fire —or rather rain, lightning, and wind— he worked on recovery efforts after the devastation caused by Hurricane Charlie for 58 days in what is now the province of Artemisa.

According to the operations manager of the Basic Electric Organization in the Cotorro municipality of Havana, this challenge tested his training, and he exceeded expectations. He later received additional training to handle energized cables of 110,000 volts and was involved in the Energy Revolution as part of the Project Support Department.

"Back then, in the city, we were responsible for replacing 4,000-volt conductors, which are dangerous because they remain live when they fall to the ground. We converted almost all of them in Arroyo Naranjo, as well as in areas of Guanabacoa, Boyeros, Regla, and Cerro.

"In response to extreme weather events, we visited many provinces for the first time, but only to see their worst side. I never count the hurricanes; far from being a number or a record, they are a collection of experiences.

"As a father of two children, the distress of children during disasters wounds me deeply. That’s why, even though our workday ends at 4:00 p.m., we demand from our superiors to extend it. When you restore power and see the joy of the residents, for whom you are a symbol of hope, you realize your importance. After leaving, you can return because you leave behind another family there.

"We also respond to other disasters, such as the plane crash in 2018, right on our 33,000-volt lines, behind the José Martí Airport. In January the following year, on a Sunday off, they came for me at home 15 minutes after the devastating tornado in Havana, and we worked for nearly two days in the fault detection process."

Courage, beyond a false absence of fear, lies in the strength to face it and overcome it, though it is not always easy.

"When I witness an accident, it hurts me as if it happened to a relative, and we can almost never prevent it. Shortly after starting this job, a colleague from my course passed away, which bonds us as if we shared a call to military service. Then, at home, you reflect on whether you want to stay on this path.

"As the culmination of those reflections, I instill a sense of responsibility, regardless of age. I lead two specialized linemen, two young graduates, and the first Cuban woman determined to take on these risks, Yanelis Rodríguez. There’s no room for secrets among us.”

The lineman's family is born on solid foundations of understanding: “in the case of the wife, understanding that she is marrying someone who is always distant. The children are asleep when we arrive at night, but sometimes we do not even have time to get a haircut.”

Jayrudel Fuentes Sosa recognizes that he belongs to the nation’s needs, rather than to his place of residence. And of his colleagues, he considers them all heroes, without distinction; because none of them questions the danger when it comes the time to step forward.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff