Cuba Runs Out of Fuel as Protests Erupt in Havana

Cuba has completely exhausted its supplies of diesel and fuel oil, the BBC reported Thursday, pushing the Caribbean nation deeper into an energy catastrophe and igniting rare public demonstrations.

Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy confirmed the total depletion in remarks to state-run media. He described the country’s energy system as “critical,” noting that only limited natural gas from domestic wells remained available. Long daily blackouts of up to 22 hours have now become routine across parts of Havana.

A Nation Pushed to Breaking Point

The Cuba fuel crisis drove hundreds of residents onto the streets of Havana on Wednesday evening. Demonstrators blocked roads with burning refuse and chanted anti-government slogans. The BBC reported it was the largest single night of unrest in the capital since the energy emergency began in January. Residents of the San Miguel del Padron district could be heard demanding that authorities restore power.

Hospitals have struggled to maintain normal operations. Schools and government offices have shut their doors. Cuba’s vital tourism sector has also suffered significant disruption.

How the Blockade Tightened

Cuba historically sourced crude oil from Venezuela and Mexico. Both countries scaled back deliveries after US President Donald Trump threatened punitive tariffs against any nation supplying fuel to Havana. Washington’s pressure campaign intensified in early May with a fresh round of sanctions targeting senior Cuban officials over alleged human rights violations.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denounced those measures as illegal. President Miguel Diaz-Canel took to social media Wednesday, attributing the crisis entirely to what he called a “genocidal energy blockade” imposed by Washington.

Washington’s Conditional Aid Offer

The US State Department this week repeated an offer of $100 million in humanitarian assistance for Cuba. The aid would flow through the Catholic Church and vetted relief organisations, officials said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed last week that Havana had already rejected the package, an allegation Cuba denied. Washington’s statement made clear accountability would rest with Havana if assistance was refused.

The standoff leaves ordinary Cubans bearing the heaviest costs. Cooking on open fires and enduring near-total darkness have become daily realities for many families across the island.

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