Cuba Runs Out of Diesel and Fuel Oil as US Blockade Deepens Energy Crisis
Cuba has completely exhausted its diesel and fuel oil reserves, BBC Business reported Thursday, citing a stark admission from the country’s energy minister.
Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy told state-run media that Cuba’s power infrastructure had reached a “critical” state. He confirmed zero remaining stocks of both diesel and fuel oil. Limited volumes of domestically produced gas represent the only available energy resource, he said.
Blackouts and Breakdown of Basic Services
Parts of Havana are now enduring blackouts lasting up to 22 hours daily. Hospitals have struggled to maintain normal operations. Schools and government offices have shut their doors. The tourism sector, a key pillar of Cuba’s economy, has also been severely disrupted.
The minister described the overall situation as “extremely tense.” His remarks offer the most candid official account yet of the island’s deepening energy collapse.
Protests Break Out Across Havana
Hundreds of Cubans took to the streets Wednesday evening in what BBC Business described as the largest single night of unrest since the crisis began in January. Demonstrators blocked roads with burning debris and directed anti-government chants at authorities.
Residents in at least one Havana neighbourhood were heard demanding that power be restored. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel acknowledged the “particularly tense” atmosphere on social media but directed blame entirely at Washington. He characterised the US energy embargo as a “genocidal blockade” threatening any country that supplies Cuba with fuel.
How the Supply Chain Collapsed
Cuba has traditionally sourced crude oil from Venezuela and Mexico, feeding a network of domestic refineries. That arrangement collapsed after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs against nations supplying fuel to Havana. Both countries have since largely halted shipments, severing the supply chains Cuba depended on.
The US tightened its grip further in early May, imposing a fresh wave of sanctions targeting senior Cuban officials over alleged human rights violations. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez rejected those measures as unlawful.
US Aid Offer Remains on the Table
Washington has offered $100 million in humanitarian assistance contingent on what it terms “meaningful reforms” to Cuba’s communist system. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Havana had declined the offer. Cuba disputed that characterisation. The State Department reiterated the proposal Wednesday, noting distribution would involve the Catholic Church and vetted humanitarian organisations.
The standoff leaves ordinary Cubans with no clear path to relief as summer approaches and energy demand rises further.
Read Next: US Sanctions on Cuba Officials Signal Escalating Pressure Campaign
