Cubans are experiencing a catastrophic energy crisis and fuel shortages, leading to multi-hour power outages, lack of water, and transportation problems. Since January 2026, the country has faced an energy deficit, a result of the cessation of oil supplies from Venezuela under the pressure of US sanctions and a new pressure campaign by the Donald Trump administration. The dire situation forces citizens to live without basic amenities – they cannot wash, cook meals, or commute to work. Prices for private transport and everyday goods are skyrocketing, and many people are losing their livelihoods.
Multi-hour power and water outages
Cubans experience electricity outages lasting over 16 hours, which often coincide with water pumping schedules, leaving entire neighborhoods without power and running water, preventing basic hygiene and meal preparation.
Catastrophic fuel shortage and transport breakdown
Diesel sales on the island have been suspended, and gasoline is drastically rationed – vehicle owners can purchase only 20 liters per month through an app. Public transport has been severely limited, and fares for private taxis or electric rickshaws have doubled.
Sharp price increases and threat to jobs
The fuel and energy crisis is driving inflation, causing prices of basic goods and transport services to double. The economic situation also threatens many jobs, forcing people to change professions, as in the case of a taxi driver who became a bricklayer again.
Origin of the crisis: US sanctions and pressure on Venezuela
The direct cause of the crisis is the end of oil supplies from Venezuela, which was the main energy source for Cuba, under the influence of US sanctions. The Donald Trump administration is conducting a pressure campaign, threatening to impose tariffs on countries selling fuel to Cuba.
Cubans, like 27-year-old Javier and his 64-year-old father Elías, wake up in darkness every day to face a reality devoid of basic amenities. For over a day, they have been unable to wash, and their home in the Arroyo Naranjo neighborhood south of Old Havana has been without power for sixteen hours. The power outage coincided with the water pumping day, leaving local reservoirs empty. The country is grappling with a deep energy crisis that began in January 2026. The direct cause is the cutoff of oil supplies from Venezuela, which was a key supplier to the Cuban economy. This decision was forced by US sanctions and a pressure campaign by the Donald Trump administration, which threatens to impose high tariffs on any country trading fuel with Cuba. As a result, diesel sales on the island have been completely halted, and gasoline is subject to drastic rationing. Vehicle owners can receive only 20 liters of fuel per month through a government app, for which the waiting list can take months. Cuba has been struggling for decades with an economic embargo imposed by the United States in 1962, which was tightened during the presidency of Donald Trump. For years, the island was dependent on cheap oil from Venezuela under the Petrocaribe agreement, exchanging the raw material for the services of Cuban doctors and teachers. The collapse of the Venezuelan economy and US sanctions against the Maduro regime had previously hit this crucial supply stream for Havana.The consequences are felt in every aspect of life. Public transport has been drastically reduced. The few private taxis in Havana have doubled their fares, as have electric rickshaws, which serve as collective transport. Many residents, like Yixander Diaz, are forced to travel by bicycle. „Les temps sont compliqués” – admits Diaz, a former taxi driver who returned to his trade as a bricklayer, living in the suburbs of the capital. The fuel crisis is driving inflation, doubling the prices of basic goods and threatening jobs in many sectors. The lack of electricity not only prevents lighting homes but also storing and preparing food.