By Havana — As the United States maintains a tightening economic stranglehold on Cuba, the island nation is facing its most severe crisis in decades, with widespread power blackouts, empty food stores, and fuel shortages threatening daily life for millions of Cubans.
The pressure campaign stems directly from President Donald Trump’s aggressive regional strategy. At the beginning of the year, Trump ordered the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is now awaiting trial in New York. Trump subsequently backed Delcy Rodriguez as Venezuela’s new leader, secured control over the country’s oil resources, and imposed a naval blockade on oil shipments to Cuba.
This move has effectively severed Cuba’s two primary sources of affordable fuel — Venezuela and Mexico — leaving the island critically short of energy. Mexican authorities described the cutoff as a “sovereign decision,” while only a single Russian oil tanker has managed to reach Cuban ports so far this year.
Cuba, heavily dependent on oil for electricity generation and with limited development of solar, wind, or natural gas alternatives, is now struggling to keep the lights on. Prolonged blackouts have spread across the country, including in the capital Havana, which had previously been largely shielded from such disruptions.
The humanitarian impact is stark and immediate. Government-run food stores and bakeries that provide heavily subsidised staples are frequently closed or nearly empty. Pharmacies stand bare, petrol stations are shut, and long queues form at cash machines that often run dry, with strict limits on withdrawals.
Many ordinary Cubans, who rely on these subsidised outlets for basic survival, are now facing growing food insecurity and hardship.
Trump has made clear that Cuba is high on his list of priorities for “dealing with,” following actions against Venezuela and amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The oil blockade is functioning as a powerful economic weapon — every bit as punishing in its effects as direct military action, according to observers on the ground.
Despite the mounting crisis, Cuban authorities have so far shown little sign of yielding to the pressure. The situation continues to deteriorate, raising concerns about potential instability just 90 miles from American shores.
With Venezuela now aligned more closely with US interests and Cuba isolated, the Trump administration appears prepared to sustain the blockade until significant political changes occur in Havana.
