Cuba's power grid collapses nationwide, leaving 10 million in the dark; Castro grandson signals openness to Trump talks
A nationwide power outage left 10 million Cubans without electricity on Monday, as the grandson of former leader Raúl Castro said he would negotiate directly with President Trump.
Nationwide blackout
Cuba's power grid collapsed completely on Monday afternoon, leaving approximately 10 million people without electricity. The state electricity company UNE announced on X that the causes of the total failure are under investigation. The blackout is the latest in a series of outages that have plagued the island for months, with daily cuts lasting hours or even days in some regions. The government in Havana has blamed the crisis primarily on US sanctions, while acknowledging the grid's decrepit state.
Aging infrastructure and US pressure
The Cuban electricity network suffers from decades of underinvestment, with large parts of the outdated infrastructure in poor condition. Power plants frequently break down and require makeshift repairs. The situation has been exacerbated by a US oil embargo imposed by President Donald Trump, which Havana says has cut off fuel supplies and worsened the economic and humanitarian situation. Washington aims to force economic and political changes on the island through pressure measures.
A grandson's overture
In an interview with USA Today, his first with a US media outlet, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the 42-year-old grandson of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, expressed openness to direct negotiations with Trump. He said:
I can negotiate with anyone the US names. If the opportunity arises, of course also with Trump.
Rodríguez Castro holds no government position but works as his grandfather's bodyguard and is known by the nickname "El Cangrejo" (The Crab). His remarks stand in contrast to the official government line.
Official response and relations
Just days earlier, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez had stated that Havana was not interested in the US government's stance on matters of national sovereignty. Relations between the two countries have been at a low point for years. The grandson's interview, while not representing official policy, comes as the island grapples with its deepest economic and energy crisis in decades.
