Cuba has run out of diesel and fuel oil, energy minister says, as US blockade pushes island to brink
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Cuba has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil, leading to severe rolling blackouts, with some Havana neighborhoods experiencing up to 22 hours without electricity daily, according to Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy.
- The national grid is operating solely on domestic crude oil, natural gas, and renewable energy, but fuel shortages and grid instability have reduced the efficiency of Cuba's 1,300 megawatts of installed solar power.
- The US blockade on fuel imports, intensified under President Donald Trump’s administration, has cut off shipments from key suppliers like Mexico and Venezuela, severely restricting Cuba’s access to fuel and crippling public services.
- Despite ongoing negotiations to import fuel, rising global oil prices and geopolitical tensions, including the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, have complicated efforts to alleviate the crisis.
- The UN has condemned the US fuel blockade as unlawful, citing its negative impact on Cuban citizens' rights to food, education, health, and water, while critics warn the blockade has deepened Cuba’s humanitarian and economic crises.