Cuba’s Energy Crisis: Fuel Shortages, Blackouts & US Sanctions Impact

Cuba is facing a deepening energy crisis as the United States enforces a cutoff of Venezuelan oil shipments, a move that followed the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. Forces earlier this month. The Trump administration is simultaneously initiating talks with Cuban leaders, according to statements released Friday.

The cessation of Venezuelan oil, which previously supplied approximately 60% of Cuba’s daily needs – around 100,000 barrels – has dramatically reduced electricity availability across the island. Satellite imagery analyzed by Bloomberg News reveals a disproportionate impact on rural areas and urban centers, with nighttime light levels in cities like Santiago de Cuba and Holguín decreasing by as much as 50% compared to historical averages.

Havana, however, appears to be receiving preferential treatment. While suburbs like Cojímar and Alamar are significantly darker, the central region of the capital, home to a fifth of Cuba’s roughly 10 million inhabitants, maintains a higher level of illumination. This prioritization is attributed to the concentration of industrial areas, military installations, and government facilities within the city.

Michael Bustamante, head of Cuban studies at the University of Miami, suggested the disparity in lighting also reflects socioeconomic differences and varying levels of technological adaptation. “Given the already precarious state of the electrical grid, many Cubans have found ways to import solar panels,” Bustamante told Bloomberg, adding that wealthier areas like Havana are more likely to have adopted such alternatives. He characterized the situation as a “very significant blow” to an already strained power grid.

The U.S. Military operation that led to Maduro’s capture on January 3rd triggered an immediate order from President Trump to the interim Venezuelan government, led by Delcy Rodriguez, to halt all energy and financial support to Cuba. Prior to the U.S. Intervention, Venezuela was Cuba’s primary energy partner, providing subsidized crude oil in exchange for Cuban security assistance.

Mexico had briefly served as an alternative supplier, delivering a small oil shipment on January 9th, but Trump subsequently threatened tariffs against any nation continuing to provide fuel to Cuba, effectively cutting off that supply line as well. Havana has now gone a month without a significant fuel delivery, according to reports.

The Cuban state electricity authority, Unión Eléctrica, data confirms the decline in energy supply coincides with Maduro’s capture. While specific reserve levels are not publicly available, some analysts estimate Cuba has enough oil reserves for less than 20 days. In response, the Cuban government has announced a series of austerity measures, including reduced public transportation, a four-day workweek, the closure of resorts, and restricted gasoline sales to those paying in U.S. Dollars.

President Trump has urged Cuba to “make a deal” with the United States, warning that “there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba – zero!” He did not specify the terms of such a deal. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez asserted Cuba’s right to import fuel from any willing exporter “without interference or subordination to the unilateral coercive measures of the United States.”

The Trump administration maintains that the Cuban regime is weak and will collapse without external support, and is actively working to accelerate that process. President Miguel Díaz-Canel has indicated a willingness to negotiate with the U.S., but has ruled out any discussion of Cuba’s one-party political system. The situation remains unresolved, with both Washington and Havana awaiting a concession.