Cuba suffers nationwide power outage amid US blockade

The island has not received oil shipments for the past three months, President Miguel Diaz‑Canel has said

Cuba suffered a nationwide power outage on Monday, the Cuban Energy Ministry says, amid a US oil blockade. The blackout left nearly 11 million people without electricity as the blockade strains the country’s aging power stations.

Officials said emergency protocols were activated and that power has since been restored in several areas, including the Faustino Perez Hospital in Matanzas. The Energy Ministry said the cause of the outage is under investigation.

Cuba has experienced prolonged power cuts and fuel shortages since the US threatened to impose sanctions on countries importing oil to the island. US President Donald Trump cited Cuba’s ties with Russia, China, Iran, and pro‑Palestinian armed groups as justification.

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In early January, the US launched a commando raid in Venezuela, Cuba’s top oil supplier, capturing President Nicolas Maduro, who Trump accused of running drug cartels. Maduro denied the charges when he was brought before a New York court.

On Friday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the country is open to dialogue with Washington “without renouncing our principles or sovereignty.” He added that Cuba has not received oil shipments for the past three months due to the “wicked” blockade, which has impacted many, including children in need of medical help.

Russia, China, and the UN have condemned the US blockade as “inhumane,” warning that outages and power cuts disproportionately hurt civilians.