Protests flared in Havana amid widespread power outages. Cuba's energy minister says fuel has "run out" as a four-month US oil blockade chokes off energy supplies.
Power outages in Cuba worsened on Thursday as Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy told state television that oil reserves had "run out" amid an ongoing US blockade of oil shipments.
The minister said Cuba's power grid had entered a "critical" state.
"We have absolutely no fuel [oil], and absolutely no diesel ... The impact of the blockade is indeed causing us significant harm... because we are still not receiving fuel."
For four months, the US has blocked fuel imports to Cuba in a bid to pressure the Communist-run government. In January 2026, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order threatening tariffs on any country supplying Cuba with fuel.
