Cuba Faces Critical Energy Crisis as Oil Runs Out Amid US Blockade

The Cuban government has announced that the country has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil, leaving the national electrical grid in a critical state. Energy Minister Vicente de La O Levy reported on May 13, 2026, that power outages in the capital city of Havana have exceeded 20 to 22 hours per day.

The fuel exhaustion comes as Cuba enters the summer season, which increases the national demand for energy. De La O Levy described the current situation as very tense.

U.S. Blockade and Fuel Shortages

The current energy crisis follows a series of restrictive measures imposed by the United States. In early January 2026, the Trump administration halted Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba. This action followed the U.S. Kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the subsequent de facto takeover of the Venezuelan oil industry.

Later in January 2026, the U.S. Implemented a total oil blockade on Cuba. This policy included the imposition of tariffs on any countries supplying oil to the island, pressure on Mexico to cease its oil shipments, and the seizure of oil shipments destined for Cuba.

A temporary reprieve occurred at the end of March 2026 when a Russian tanker arrived in Cuba with approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil. This shipment broke the U.S. Blockade and the oil was refined in April 2026, providing several weeks of relief. However, Cuban officials explained that this fuel, which was the only shipment allowed into the country in more than four months, has now been exhausted.

While Cuba began experiencing power cuts in 2019 following the “maximum-pressure sanctions” of the first Trump administration, the outages have become more frequent and severe since January 2026, occasionally lasting for several days.

Humanitarian Impact

The blockade has significantly impacted Cuba’s universal health care system, resulting in hospital closures, and deaths. Educational institutions and government offices have also been forced to close.

In February 2026, the UN Human Rights Office issued a warning regarding the stability of critical medical infrastructure.

“Intensive care units and emergency rooms are compromised, as are the production, delivery, and storage of vaccines, blood products, and other temperature-sensitive medications.”

UN Human Rights Office

The UN statement further noted that more than 80 percent of water pumping equipment in Cuba relies on electricity, and the ongoing power cuts are undermining access to sanitation and safe water. The fuel shortage has also disrupted the regulated basic food basket and the rationing system, affecting social protection networks including nursing homes, maternity homes, and school feeding programs.

On April 30, 2026, Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) stated on X that infant mortality in Cuba has increased by 148% as a result of the tightening U.S. Sanctions, describing the policy as cruel and broken.

International and Political Response

UN human rights experts have condemned the U.S. Blockade as an extreme form of unilateral economic coercion and a violation of international law.

President Trump has frequently targeted Cuba in his rhetoric, suggesting the country would be “next” after Iran. In March 2026, he stated he expects to “have the honor of taking Cuba,” adding that he could do anything he wanted with the country. On May 1, 2026, Trump asserted that the U.S. Would be “taking over” Cuba “almost immediately.”

Within the U.S. Government, responses have been divided. Some Republicans in the Senate have urged the administration to focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, expressing hope that the Cuban government would fall due to economic sanctions rather than through direct military intervention.

On May 13, 2026, The Guardian reported that more than 30 members of Congress sent a letter to President Trump urging him to avoid military intervention in Cuba. The lawmakers also called for the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay to stop being used for the detention of migrants, warning that increased aggression toward Cuba would drive higher levels of migration from the island.

Diplomatic Efforts

On May 14, 2026, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Havana and offered an aid package intended to mitigate the effects of the blockade.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel responded that conditions would only improve if the United States lifted its blockade. Earlier in May 2026, Diaz-Canel questioned the U.S. Government’s characterization of Cuba as an extraordinary and unusual threat, stating that Cuba is a country of peace.