Cuba’s national electrical grid experienced a complete collapse on Saturday, leaving the island nation in darkness and escalating a crisis fueled by a U.S. Oil blockade, according to reports from Havana. The blackout, the second major system failure this week, comes as residents struggle with widespread shortages of food, fuel, and water. The grid was fully restored by Tuesday, with the largest oil-fired power plant brought back online, but millions continued to experience intermittent outages as power was rationed across neighborhoods, Reuters reported. The current crisis began to intensify in early January when the U.S. Government curtailed Cuba’s access to oil supplies, initially by disrupting shipments from Venezuela following a military raid and subsequent pressure on the Venezuelan government. Further restrictions followed, with the U.S. Threatening additional tariffs against Mexico and other potential suppliers, citing Havana’s alleged alignment with “hostile countries and malign actors,” a claim Cuba has rejected. The lack of fuel has crippled Cuba’s ability to generate electricity, exacerbating a long-running energy crisis. Residents are resorting to wood fires to heat water, and hospitals are limiting stays and surgeries, CNN reported. Trash is accumulating in the streets of Havana, and access to basic necessities is becoming increasingly demanding. “Beyond the physical exhaustion, it’s the psychological exhaustion that weighs down on us,” said Erisander Sánchez, a construction worker in Havana, in an interview with NBC News. “It’s the uncertainty of not knowing when we will have power… you can’t plan anything.” The U.S. Embassy in Havana has also been affected by the energy crisis, according to a report from the Washington Post. The embassy recently requested permission to bring in its own fuel supply, a request that was rejected by the Cuban government, which called the move “shameless.” Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged the severity of the situation in a televised address on Friday, stating that authorities were working to find solutions but admitting the task would be complex. The crisis has prompted widespread discontent among the population, with many Cubans expressing frustration and desperation. “Sometimes you just seek a fan to get some fresh air and get the mosquitos out of the way,” Sánchez told NBC News. The U.S. Has maintained an economic embargo on Cuba since the 1960s, which a United Nations report states has cost the island “trillions of dollars” and impacted its “overall human development.” Despite international calls for the embargo to be lifted, the U.S. Has recently increased pressure on the Cuban government. A 17-year-ancient Cuban resident, Leonardo Acosta, and his 15-year-old wife, Melanie Chantelle González Barrios, are raising an infant child in Havana, facing daily struggles to secure basic necessities. González Barrios expressed a desire for her children to eventually leave Cuba, seeking a life free from the constant fight for survival, CBC News reported. As of Sunday, the Cuban government had not issued a statement regarding ongoing negotiations with the U.S. Or potential alternative fuel sources. The U.S. State Department has not responded to requests for comment on the situation.
Cuba Blackout: Fuel Embargo & Energy Crisis Deepen
