Millions plunged into darkness as fuel crisis deepens
BBC • • nation
Key Points:
- Millions of people in Cuba experienced a widespread power outage on Wednesday due to an unexpected shutdown at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, affecting two-thirds of the island including Havana.
- The blackout is part of a series of power cuts driven by chronic fuel shortages, worsened by US sanctions and the disruption of oil supplies from Venezuela, Cuba's key ally.
- The fuel crisis has also led to shortages in aviation fuel, causing several airlines, including Air France, to suspend services to Cuba and impacting international tourism.
- Cuba's aging infrastructure and reliance on imported fuel have compounded the energy crisis, disrupting public services such as transportation and waste collection.
- US sanctions, in place since the 1960 embargo, have intensified
