Washington’s oil blockade triggers second total collapse of Cuban power grid

try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry Trump issues 48-hour ultimatum to Iran as Strait of Hormuz blockade persists Why is oil priced in dollars? What if Warsh is not confirmed as Fed Chair by May 15? Trump threatens Iran with power plant strikes over Hormuz oil blockade 🧠 Upgrade to AI Insights (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) 🧠 Upgrade to AI Insights Washington’s oil blockade triggers second total collapse of Cuban power grid By Author Simon Mugo Economy Published 03/21/2026, 10:29 PM Washington’s oil blockade triggers second total collapse of Cuban power grid 0 WU -1.74% CCL -3.29% RCL -3.07% Investing.com -- Cuba’s national electric system suffered a total disconnection on Saturday, marking the second complete grid failure in a single week as the island struggles under a tightened U.S. oil blockade. The state utility, Union Electrica, confirmed the blackout occurred at 18:32 local time, leaving approximately 10 million people without power. Get premium news and insight, AI stock picks, and deep research tools by upgrading to InvestingPro This latest systemic breakdown follows a similar collapse on Monday and a major plant failure on March 4, underscoring the extreme fragility of the nation’s aging thermoelectric infrastructure amidst a worsening energy deficit. The Venezuelan supply vacuum The primary driver of the current crisis is the abrupt removal of Cuba’s most significant energy benefactor. Following the January 3 deposition of Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration has moved to eliminate the favorable oil shipments that once anchored the Cuban economy. By cutting off Venezuelan exports and threatening punitive tariffs against third-party suppliers like Mexico, Washington has effectively isolated Havana from its traditional regional energy partners. Even after the U.S. temporarily eased restrictions on Russian oil products to stabilize global benchmarks, specific exemptions have been maintained to ensure no relief reaches the Carib...