Cuba Runs Out of Fuel as Power Crisis Hits Record
Cuba has run out of fuel. The country now has a record power shortage of 2,113 MW.
Some areas face 20 to 22 hours of blackouts every day. Protests broke out in Havana and other parts of Cuba.
People were angry about the blackouts and fuel shortages. A US oil blockade cut off fuel supplies for four months.
The loss of Venezuelan oil supply also made things worse. Cuba needs at least eight fuel ships per month.
In April 2026 only one arrived. Russia sent a one-time gift of 100,000 tons of oil.
It gave some relief in April 2026 but ran out in early May. Cuba's national power grid has fully collapsed seven times in the past 18 months. One blackout on March 16 2026 lasted 29 hours across the whole country.
Klear Note — Cuba relies on imported oil for power and fuel. The country faces a US trade blockade that limits its access to oil supplies.
Key Terms 3
- MW (megawatt) A unit measuring how much electricity a power system can produce
- oil blockade When a country stops ships from delivering oil to another country
- power grid The network of power stations and cables that supplies electricity to a country