Cuba Suffers Sixth Nationwide Blackout This Year Amid U.S. Energy Blockade

Cuba’s electrical grid failed once again on Friday, plunging millions of residents into darkness for at least the sixth time since the Trump administration severed fuel supplies to the island in January. The Ministry of Energy and Mines confirmed the islandwide outage on X, stating that restoration protocols were immediately being activated.

The collapse was reportedly triggered by a failure in transmission lines in western Cuba, extending to Matanzas province, which led to the subsequent disconnection of the eastern section of the island. State newspaper Granma noted that unstable weather conditions further compromised the already fragile grid.

Residents expressed despair over the recurring crises. Mercedes Rodriguez, a 60-year-old Havana worker, told The Associated Press, “No one can stand these constant blackouts. There isn’t enough food, there’s no water, there’s no electricity — you no idea.” Homemaker Abilén Marrero added, “Maybe it’ll come back this afternoon or tomorrow—there’s no way to know. We just have to wait.”

By dusk, power had been restored to only 5% of Havana’s approximately 862,000 customers. Emergency measures included establishing small power-distribution “micro-islands” in Camagüey, Pinar del Río, and Granma provinces, while systems serving hospitals were reactivated.

The blackouts have intensified since January, when President Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on nations selling oil to Cuba. The policy aims to force political change by blocking Cuba’s access to fuel for thermoelectric plants and replacement parts for obsolete infrastructure. Since the blockade began, only a single fuel tanker from Russia has delivered supplies in March.

Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón Guzman, described the outages as “collective punishment” during a recent interview with CBS News. He highlighted the severe public health impacts, including transportation limits, reduced work hours, flight cancellations, and disruptions to water, cooking, and communication services.

This event follows a series of outages in early August, July, and March. Even when the grid functions, citizens regularly endure interruptions lasting more than 30 hours. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has reviewed potential military options, though officials insist these briefings do not indicate a decision to act. Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues to advocate for a diplomatic transition led by technocrats, a process that remains stalled despite escalating pressure.