Cuba faced a partial collapse in its electricity grid early on Thursday, causing a widespread power outage in eastern Cuba. The country’s grid operator, UNE, reported that essential services in the region had been partially restored by mid-morning. However, a significant portion of eastern Cuba, including the second-largest city of Santiago de Cuba, remained without electricity.
With summer heat intensifying, Cuba’s nearly 10 million residents are enduring prolonged power cuts of 20 hours or more each day, exacerbating the challenges they face. The situation has been exacerbated by a fuel blockade imposed by the United States, leading to a scarcity of energy resources. President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs on fuel suppliers to Cuba, coupled with disruptions in oil shipments from Venezuela and Mexico, have further strained the country’s energy supply.
Cuban officials attribute the blackouts to the U.S. blockade, with the energy and mines minister noting a complete depletion of fuel oil and diesel crucial for the power grid. The ongoing power outages have sparked widespread protests in Havana, where residents grapple with prolonged cuts disrupting daily life, including concerns about food spoilage and sleep deprivation.
One resident, Rodolfo Aragon, expressed despair over the country’s economic challenges amid the conflict with the United States, emphasizing the critical fuel shortage. The United Nations has condemned the U.S. fuel blockade as unlawful, pointing out its detrimental impact on the Cuban people’s rights to essential services like food, education, and healthcare.
