Cuba plunged into darkness again Friday, its second nationwide blackout in under a week, leaving residents without power just before nightfall. State utility Union Electrica de Cuba said the outage hit at 4:30 PM local time. This follows another blackout Monday, marking the fourth this year.
Blackouts are nothing new here . Aging electrical systems,relics of the Cold War,can't keep up with demand . But outages have ramped up since January, as U.S. restrictions on fuel imports tighten.
Under President Donald Trump,Cuba's oil access has been slashed. The island's endured the longest trade embargo in modern history since the 1960s. Trump's moves have worsened matters, aiming to weaken communist government .
On January 3, Trump ordered a military operation against Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's president and Cuba's ally. After Maduro's ouster,the U.S. said Venezuela would stop sending oil and money to Cuba. This hit hard — Cuba relies heavily on Venezuelan oil.
Later on January 29,Trump issued an order labeling Cuba a “threat” to the U.S.,with threats of heavy tariffs on countries supplying Cuba with fuel. Only one Russian oil tanker arrived in March.
As of 2023, Cuba produces just 40% of its oil needs,says the International Energy Agency. The rest is imported,making fuel shortages more severe. Human rights advocates warn of serious impacts on civilians,with essential services like transport at risk.
In June, Volker Turk,UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,pointed to rising infant mortality rates. Turk said,“The fuel restrictions since early 2026 and recent tighter sanctions are harming Cubans,especially the vulnerable.” Kids lack access to crucial medical supplies.
Despite this,the Trump administration blames Cuban mismanagement for the blackouts. Marco Rubio,U.S. Secretary of State, said in March,“We’ve done nothing punitive against the Cuban regime.”
Before the fuel blockade, Cuba planned to shift to renewable energy,like solar power. Solar tech from China has helped,but by 2022, renewables made up only 18% of Cuba's energy. The goal is nearly 25% by 2030.
Cuba's energy crisis highlights its struggles with external pressures and internal issues. With embargo and fuel blockade,its energy future is uncertain…
