Cuba endures second nation‑wide blackout in a week amid fuel shortages

On July 10, 2026 Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed for the second time in five days, marking the fourth total outage of the year and the fourth in less than six months. The blackout began at 16:30 local time and left most of the island’s 10 million residents without power for many hours, with some areas experiencing up to 70 hours of darkness. The energy ministry activated emergency protocols as the state utility Unión Eléctrica de Cuba (UNE) worked to restore service.

Authorities attribute the crisis to severe fuel shortages caused by the United States’ oil blockade imposed in January, which halted most petroleum imports that previously came from Venezuela. The aging grid, reliant on decades‑old thermal plants and diesel generators, cannot operate without sufficient fuel. The shortage has also sparked public discontent, with scattered protests in Havana reminiscent of the July 2021 demonstrations.

Cuban officials blame the longstanding U.S. embargo and recent sanctions for the outages, while Washington points to mismanagement of the state‑run economy. International bodies, including the United Nations, have called for an end to the blockade, noting its impact on health services and vulnerable populations.