Cuba faced another nationwide blackout on Saturday, marking the third collapse of its national power grid this month. Some areas regained electricity on Sunday, but the repeated outages have intensified humanitarian concerns as the country grapples with fuel shortages caused by the ongoing US economic blockade.
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According to Cuban Electric Union, the blackout was triggered by an unexpected shutdown of a generation unit at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant. Officials provided no further details about the failure. Analysts note that the US blockade, which has restricted oil imports from Venezuela, has exacerbated Cuba’s energy crisis.
Cuba is ready for any potential attack from US amid oil blockade, envoy says https://t.co/6UQQJLvjH4 https://t.co/6UQQJLvjH4
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 22, 2026
Cuba restored power to nearly half of the capital Havana, officials said, less than 24 hours after the national grid collapsed for the second time in a week amid a US oil blockade that has dealt a major blow to its already ailing energy infrastructure https://t.co/AiyLn44nvo pic.twitter.com/7zmUXfJQMg
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 23, 2026
Critics worldwide have condemned the sanctions as “economic warfare.” US representatives Delia C. Ramirez and Ilhan Omar highlighted the humanitarian toll, including disruptions to healthcare, water supply, food distribution, and transportation. They praised the Nuestra América Convoy, which is delivering aid from over 30 countries to the island.
Journalist Nathan Robinson, reporting from Havana, described severe impacts on hospitals, including patients on ventilators dying due to the power loss. He also noted shortages in food and fuel, accumulating garbage, and a collapse of the tourism sector that many Cubans depend on for income.
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The situation underscores the growing strain on the island nation, where infrastructure and supply chains are deteriorating amid fuel shortages. While concerts and street life continue in some areas, critical services remain under threat, highlighting the human cost of the economic sanctions and the urgent need for humanitarian support.