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Nationwide power outage hits Cuba for second time in seven days
Over 10 million residents and businesses across Cuba lost electricity on Sunday after the national grid failed for the second time this week, the energy ministry announced.
Cause and response
The ministry described the incident as a "total disconnection of the National Electrical System" in a social media statement. Restoration efforts began immediately, with the grid operator UNE prioritizing hospitals, water facilities, and other critical services.
Fuel shortages deepen crisis
Cuba's power infrastructure, already strained by aging equipment and chronic fuel shortages, has suffered three major blackouts this month. A U.S. fuel embargo has blocked foreign oil imports, leaving power plants without sufficient supply to operate.
International aid and public unrest
A coalition of socialist groups from multiple countries arrived in Havana over the weekend, delivering solar panels, food, and medical supplies. The Nuestra America convoy, delayed by rough seas, is expected to dock in Havana on Monday.
Public frustration over the blackouts has sparked rare protests. Residents in central Havana banged pots and pans on Monday, while demonstrators in the town of Morón set fire to the local Communist Party headquarters. Unauthorized protests are illegal in Cuba, and participants risk arrest.
Geopolitical tensions escalate
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested the removal of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel as a condition for lifting the fuel embargo. Trump hinted at a "friendly takeover" of Cuba last week, calling it an "honor."
Díaz-Canel, addressing aid workers this weekend, stated that Cuba has a "preparation plan to raise our people's readiness for defense" against potential U.S. military action.
Preliminary bilateral talks between the U.S. and Cuba to resolve the crisis have taken place, though their progress remains unclear. Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossio told Reuters on Friday that "Cuba's political system is not negotiable, nor is the position of its president or any official."
