Cuba faces another nationwide blackout amid US fuel blockade

Cuba's power grid suffered a total collapse on Friday, triggering another nationwide blackout and leaving millions without electricity as the island grapples with an ongoing US fuel blockade.

"A total disconnection of the electrical system has occurred," the Energy Ministry posted on X, as only 5% of Havana had electricity.

State-run utility UNE blamed a failure in transmission lines and unstable weather for the nationwide blackout — the 7th this year and the 12th since late 2024 — as fuel shortages and deteriorating infrastructure take their toll.

"It's one thing after another: no water, no gas for cooking, no electricity," 36-year-old Lidia Fernandez told the AFP news agency. "Honestly, I don't know how we haven't gone crazy."

Cubans say problem growing

Blackouts lasting more than 30 hours have become common in Havana, while some provinces have endured outages exceeding 60 hours.

The power cuts have also disrupted water supplies, cooking gas, telecommunications and transportation.

Cuba, home to more than 9 million people, is also facing a deepening economic crisis.

An independent study released this week estimated that 66% of the population now lives in poverty, up from 45% in mid-2025, citing rising food prices as a key factor.

"No one can stand these constant blackouts. There isn't enough food, there's no water, there's no electricity — you have no idea," Mercedes Rodriguez, 60, told AP. "The country is in such a sad state, and there are no words for what we're going through."

How have US sanctions impacted Cuba?

Cuba's aging power plants rely heavily on imported fuel, which has become increasingly scarce amid US restrictions imposed in January.

US President Donald Trump's administration tightened sanctions and enacted an oil embargo, choking the Caribbean country from importing fuel and replacement parts required to maintain infrastructure.

Havana blames US sanctions for worsening shortages, while Washington claims the outages reflect failures of ⁠the country's state-run economic model.

Trump has even made scarcely veiled threats to take over the island.

Cuba's crisis hits hard at home

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