Cuba sinks into blackout crisis as fuel runs dry under US pressure

Cuba has run out of diesel and fuel oil, pushing its national power grid into a critical state and leaving parts of Havana without electricity for up to 22 hours a day, as US restrictions on fuel shipments deepen the island’s worst energy crisis in decades.

Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy said Cuba had no remaining reserves of diesel or fuel oil, forcing the grid to operate only on domestic crude oil, natural gas and renewable energy. He said the system was now in a “critical” condition, while Cuba continued seeking fuel imports amid rising global oil and transport costs.

Grid pushed to breaking point

The fuel shortage has left Cuba heavily dependent on limited domestic energy sources. The government says the island has installed about 1,300 megawatts of solar power over the past two years, but grid instability has reduced how effectively that capacity can be used.

Blackouts have intensified sharply across Havana and other parts of the country. Reuters reported that many districts of the capital have faced outages lasting 20 to 22 hours a day, worsening pressure on residents already dealing with shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

Protests flare in Havana

The crisis has triggered public anger in the capital, where hundreds of residents took to the streets on Wednesday evening to demand electricity. Reuters reported protests in several Havana neighbourhoods, with residents banging pots, blocking roads and calling for the lights to be restored.

The demonstrations were largely peaceful, while security forces maintained a visible presence without direct intervention, according to Reuters. In some areas, residents dispersed after power briefly returned.

US fuel restrictions choke supply

Cuban officials have blamed the immediate collapse on what they describe as a US energy blockade. The Trump administration imposed a fuel embargo in January and threatened tariffs on countries supplying Cuba with oil, a move that has sharply curtailed fuel shipments to the island.

Mexico and Venezuela, once among Cuba’s key oil suppliers, have not sent fuel to the island since the US order threatening tariffs on fuel providers. A Russian-flagged tanker delivered crude oil in April, but that shipment provided only temporary relief.

Services and daily life disrupted

The energy crisis is now spreading through basic services. Prolonged blackouts have disrupted refrigeration, transport, healthcare and food distribution, while fuel shortages have also affected public services such as rubbish collection.

The pressure has turned what had long been a chronic economic crisis into a more acute humanitarian emergency. United Nations experts warned last week that the US fuel blockade had worsened shortages and pushed essential services “to the brink”.

Background: US sanctions on Cuba

The United States has maintained an embargo on Cuba since 1960, but the pressure campaign has intensified sharply this year. In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring Cuba a national security threat, accusing Havana of supporting hostile governments and groups, including Russia, China, Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.

The January order was followed by measures threatening tariffs on countries supplying Cuba with oil. UN human rights experts condemned the move in February, saying the order amounted to a fuel blockade and warning that it violated principles of sovereignty, non-intervention and self-determination.

The Trump administration has also expanded sanctions against Cuban military-linked businesses. AP reported that US sanctions announced in May targeted Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., or GAESA, a powerful military-run conglomerate, as well as Moa Nickel, a Cuban-Canadian mining venture.

Washington offers aid, Havana disputes it

Amid the worsening crisis, the US State Department said Washington had renewed an offer of US$100 million in direct humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people, to be distributed through the Catholic Church and other independent organisations.

Cuba has questioned the legitimacy of the offer. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla denied that any clear US aid offer existed and accused Washington of using the issue for political pressure.

Crisis leaves Cuba waiting for fuel

For now, Cuba remains caught between a collapsing fuel supply, an unstable power grid and a tightening US pressure campaign. The government says it is open to buying fuel from any willing supplier, but the threat of US penalties has made potential shipments politically and commercially risky.

Unless new deliveries arrive soon, the island faces the prospect of prolonged blackouts, further public frustration and deeper disruption to daily life.