Amid a U.S.-imposed oil blockade, Cuba experiences its fifth nationwide power outage in 2026, leaving millions without power.
Published July 14, 2026
Cuba’s national power grid collapsed, causing the third nationwide blackout in less than 10 days, leaving about 10 million people without power.
The power outage began at around 11 a.m. local time on Tuesday (15:00 P.M. Japan time) and brought the entire country’s power grid to a standstill, state-run power company UNE said.
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Cuba’s Energy and Mines Ministry said on social media that “the power system has been completely cut off.”
The power outage comes as Cuba faces its worst economic crisis in decades. Fuel shortages have been exacerbated by the U.S. oil blockade, which has pushed Cuba’s aging power system to the brink.
US President Donald Trump imposed the blockade in January after the US ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power. Venezuela has long been Cuba’s main subsidized oil supplier, but under pressure from the United States, Mexico also stopped shipping fuel to the island.
According to the International Energy Agency, as of 2023, Cuba will only produce about 40% of the oil it consumes, making it highly dependent on imported fuel.
The Trump administration says the move is aimed at pressuring Cuba’s communist government to hold democratic elections and release so-called political prisoners.
Frequent power outages have caused frustration across the island. Just a week ago, sporadic protests erupted across Havana, with residents banging pots and pans and shouting “turn on the lights” as millions endure another prolonged power outage. Last week’s two power outages took more than 24 hours to restore power to the entire island.
Cuban authorities have struggled for months to keep the lights on as fuel shortages and an aging power grid, much of which dates from the 1960s to the 1980s, make the system increasingly prone to collapse.
Havana blames the crisis on a U.S. fuel blockade, while Washington says Cuba’s communist government is responsible for the country’s deteriorating power system.
U.S. Ambassador Michael Walz said last week during a United Nations General Assembly debate on U.S. sanctions that Cuban leaders were to blame for the power shortages.
“Let’s change our ways and turn the lights on again for our people,” he said.
