Cuba Faces Island-Wide Blackout Amid Energy & US Oil Issues

Cuba’s national electric grid collapsed Monday, leaving approximately 11 million people without power. The country’s grid operator, UNE, is investigating the cause of the “complete disconnection” of the electrical system. This blackout is the latest in a series of widespread outages lasting hours or days. The power crisis is linked to a U.S.-imposed oil blockade that has severely impacted Cuba’s already outdated generation system. Officials report the nation has not received oil shipments for three months, relying on alternative sources like solar power and natural gas. The situation has worsened following tightened U.S. restrictions, including blocking Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba. President Diaz-Canel stated the island is operating on limited resources, while talks with the U.S. are underway to address the crisis. Recent blackouts sparked a rare violent protest over the weekend.