Cuba Struggles with Diesel and Fuel Oil Shortage Amid U.S. Blockade
Cuba Struggles with Diesel and Fuel Oil Shortage Amid U.S. Blockade
Cuba faces its worst rolling blackouts in decades as it runs out of diesel and fuel oil amid a U.S. blockade, threatening daily life and the energy grid in Havana.
Cuba is grappling with a fuel crisis that has pushed Havana into its worst rolling blackouts in decades. The Energy and Mines Minister, Vicente de la O Levy, announced that the country has 'absolutely no fuel (oil), and absolutely no diesel,' and that the national grid is in a 'critical' state with no reserves. Across the capital, neighborhoods report lights out for 20 to 22 hours a day as the power shortage deepens.
The grid runs entirely on domestic crude, natural gas and renewables, but the renewables are losing ground because of the fuel shortage and grid instability. The government has installed about 1,300 megawatts of solar over the past two years, yet much of that capacity remains hampered by instability and efficiency losses caused by the fuel shortage.
Cuba is negotiating to import fuel despite the blockade, but rising global oil and transport prices amid the wider U.S.-Israeli war with Iran are complicating shipments. The minister said Cuba is open to anyone who wants to sell fuel, but major suppliers such as Mexico and Venezuela have not sent fuel since January 2026. Only a single large oil tanker, the Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin, has delivered crude since December, providing temporary relief in April.
The renewed power cuts in Havana and beyond come as the blockade enters its fourth month of impact, stoking concern among families facing food, medicine and water shortages. Analysts say the crisis underlines Cuba's vulnerability to external shocks and the urgent need for diversified energy sources and more reliable fuel supplies.
