Cuba is going dark under US pressure. How the crisis unfolded and why its troubles are far from over
Cuba is going dark under US pressure. How the crisis unfolded and why its troubles are far from over
A Nation in the Grip of Energy Shortages
Three months into the U.S.-imposed oil embargo, Cuba faces severe societal strain. Streets in Havana are littered with uncollected waste, hospitals have reduced operating hours, and families rely on wood fires for heating. Power outages, once sporadic, now occur regularly, disrupting daily life. President Miguel Díaz-Canel noted during a Friday press conference that authorities are working on solutions, though challenges remain significant.
The Embargo’s Long Legacy and Escalating Measures
Since the 1960s, the U.S. has enforced an economic embargo on Cuba, costing the nation “trillions of dollars” and hindering “overall human development,” per a UN report. Recently, the U.S. intensified its approach. In early January, it disrupted Cuba’s oil supply from Venezuela after a military raid captured the country’s leader, halting fuel shipments. A month later, Mexico and other providers also cut ties, fearing more U.S. tariffs. The rationale? Cuba’s alignment with “hostile countries and malign actors” and its support for military operations, claims the U.S. rejected.
Energy Crisis Deepens with Oil Shortages
Cuba’s reliance on oil for transportation and electricity generation has worsened the ongoing energy crisis. Díaz-Canel reported that power outages have grown more frequent, with plants lacking sufficient fuel. On Monday, the nation experienced its first major blackout since the embargo began. The shortage also threatens water distribution, as Antonio Rodríguez Rodríguez, head of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH), highlighted efforts to install solar panels and reduce grid dependence.
Essential Services in Peril
Shortages are crippling education, transport, and healthcare. Díaz-Canel stated that “tens of thousands” of patients await procedures due to electricity cuts. Garbage trucks, unable to operate without fuel, have left streets in Havana piled with waste. Public transit has been scaled back, leading to long waits and crowded buses. CNN is seeking updates from the ministries of transportation and public health.
Protests Erupt Amid Crisis
Public demonstrations, rare in Cuba, have emerged as tensions rise. On March 7, Havana residents protested by clanging pots and pans and lighting bonfires. Days later, students at the University of Havana staged a peaceful walkout, citing disrupted studies due to power and internet outages. In Morón, Saturday morning saw demonstrators damaging the Communist Party’s local office, with five arrests reported. The protests underscore growing frustration over the energy and food supply issues.
“The humanitarian situation in Cuba was already extremely fragile, but the electricity crisis is pushing many essential services to the limit,” said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “People don’t have reliable access to drinking water, hospitals can’t operate safely, basic goods are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, and garbage is piling up in the streets.”