Millions of Cubans plunged into darkness as fuel crisis deepens
#Cuba blackout #Fuel shortages #US blockade #Venezuela oil #Maduro capture #Power cuts #Air France suspension #US-Cuba relations
📌 Key Takeaways
- Two-thirds of Cuba, including Havana, experienced a major power blackout due to a breakdown at a key power plant
- Cuba's fuel crisis has been exacerbated by a US blockade on Venezuelan oil following Maduro's capture
- The power outages, lasting up to 18 hours daily, are severely affecting healthcare, water supply, and basic services
- International airlines, including Air France, are suspending services to Cuba due to fuel shortages
- The crisis represents the latest escalation in decades of US-Cuba tensions dating back to the 1960s
📖 Full Retelling
Millions of Cubans were plunged into darkness on Wednesday when two-thirds of the island, including the capital Havana, lost power due to an unexpected breakdown at the Antonio Guiteras thermometric plant, as the nation's ongoing fuel crisis worsened under US pressure following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The blackout, described by Cuba's national electricity company UNE as affecting areas from central Camaguey province to western Pinar del Rio, represents the latest in a series of power cuts plaguing the island in recent years. The crisis stems from chronic fuel shortages compounded by a US blockade on oil imports from key ally Venezuela since January, when Maduro was captured by US forces. Prior to this, Venezuela had been supplying approximately 35,000 barrels of oil daily to Cuba, meeting about half of the island's energy needs. The electricity crisis has severe consequences for daily life, with power cuts lasting up to 18 hours daily affecting hospital emergency wards, dialysis patients, and water pumping stations. Cuba's already struggling infrastructure faces additional strain from the fuel shortages, disrupting public transport and waste collection services. The international impact is evident with several airlines suspending services to the island, with Air France becoming the latest carrier to halt flights to Havana from the end of March until mid-June, specifically citing fuel shortages as the reason.
🏷️ Themes
Energy Crisis, International Relations, Humanitarian Impact
📚 Related People & Topics
2026 United States intervention in Venezuela
Airstrikes and capture of Nicolás Maduro
On 3 January 2026, the United States launched a military strike in Venezuela and captured incumbent Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The US operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, began around 2 a.m. local time, when explosions were observed.
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Millions of Cubans plunged into darkness as fuel crisis deepens 10 hours ago Share Save Jessica Rawnsley Share Save Millions of people were left without power in Cuba on Wednesday - the latest in a string of blackouts to hit the island as it struggles with fuel shortages worsened by pressure from the US. Two-thirds of the island was plunged into darkness following what officials described as an "unexpected" shutdown at one of the country's main power plants. Cuba's national electricity company UNE said the blackout affected a vast area stretching from the central province Camaguey to Pinar del Rio in the west, and including the capital, Havana. Cuba has been hit by a wave of power cuts in recent years, with chronic fuel shortages exacerbated by a US blockade on oil from key ally Venezuela since January. The communist nation is also suffering from a shortage of aviation fuel, leading several airlines to suspend services there and limiting international tourism. Air France became the latest carrier to do so on Wednesday. The cause of Wednesday's outage was sparked by a breakdown at the Antonio Guiteras thermometric plant, about 100km (62 miles) east of Havana, authorities said. The national electricity company said efforts were under way to restore services. The blackout is the second outage to affect Cuba's western region in the past three months. Creaking infrastructure has been compounded by fuel shortages, resulting in a crisis that has disrupted public transport and rubbish collection. Cuba, which relies heavily on imported fuel to generate electricity, has partly survived crippling Western sanctions due to the help of its allies in the region, including the left-wing Venezuelan government. Venezuela was believed to have sent around 35,000 barrels of oil a day to Cuba - providing about half the island's oil needs - before the former's President Nicolas Maduro was captured by US forces in early January. Since then, the US has seized a number of shipments of oil bo...
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