Cuba Endures Second Nationwide Blackout in a Week Amid U.S. Fuel Blockade

Cuba experienced its second island‑wide power outage in less than a week on Friday, July 10, 2026, plunging nearly 10 million residents into darkness. The state utility UNE reported the grid collapsed at 4:30 p.m. local time, triggering emergency protocols to restore electricity. The blackout follows a similar outage on Monday and marks the fourth nationwide failure this year.

Cuban officials attribute the crisis to severe fuel shortages caused by the United States’ oil embargo instituted after President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of Venezuelan oil shipments to the island in January. The embargo, combined with pressure that led Mexico to halt its own oil deliveries, has left Cuba unable to import the diesel needed for its aging thermoelectric plants, many of which date from the Cold War era.

Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said on social media, “We have begun work to restore the national electric system,” while Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla condemned the fuel restrictions as “a systematic violation of the human rights of an entire people in an act of collective punishment.” The shortages have forced public transport to near‑standstill, cancelled thousands of medical surgeries, and prompted spontaneous “pot‑knocking” protests reminiscent of the 2021 demonstrations.

The power failures have also highlighted growing reliance on solar panels and small battery systems installed on rooftops and balconies in Havana, a short‑term coping measure amid the broader energy crisis.