Electrical power went out across the socio-political stricken country on Thursday afternoon (March 7, 2019) due to a problem at Venezuela’s main hydroelectric plant.

The government of Nicolas Maduro called the event an act of “sabotage by ideological adversarie.”

Power was restored to some parts of Caracas by Thursday afternoon but quickly cut out again.

By Sunday, 16 states continued to be completely without power, while six had partial power, contrary to Maduro’s claim that almost 70% of power had been restored in the country Friday.

View of Chacao, a neighborhood in Caracas, during a power cut on March 7, 2019. Matais Delacroix/AFP/Getty Images

As the societal impacts intensify and Venezuela’s internal power struggle continues, the country is clearly struggling to restart its grid and meaningfully restore power—a problem exacerbated by its aging infrastructure.

Women look from an apartment building during a power cut in Caracas. Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images

Each hour that passes without power in Venezuela brings more havoc and stress to a country already on edge. The nationwide blackout that has potentially led to more than 20 deaths.

Elvia Helena Lozano uses a kerosene lamp during a power outage at her home in Caracas on March 9, 2019. Cristian Hernandez/AFP/Getty Images

The blackout is longest under 20 years of socialist leadership.

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