Cuba Weighs US Aid Offer as Energy Crisis Deepens
The Cuban government has signalled openness to a $100M US humanitarian aid proposal, BBC Business reported Thursday, as a deepening Cuba energy crisis triggered rare street protests across Havana.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said Havana was prepared to hear the full details of the offer. He noted the government needed clarity on whether the assistance would arrive as cash or in-kind supplies.
Protests and Blackouts Grip the Island
Hundreds of residents took to Havana’s streets on Wednesday night. Demonstrators blocked roads, burned rubbish, and chanted anti-government slogans demanding electricity. It was reportedly the largest single night of demonstrations in the capital since the crisis began in January.
Cuba’s Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy confirmed the island had completely exhausted its diesel and fuel oil reserves. He described the energy system as being in a “critical” condition. Hospitals have struggled to function, and schools and government offices have shut down. The tourism sector, a vital source of foreign revenue, has also taken a significant hit.
Background: A Tightening US Oil Blockade
Cuba has historically sourced oil from Venezuela and Mexico. Both countries have sharply reduced supplies since President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any nation sending fuel to Havana. Washington escalated further in early May, imposing fresh sanctions on senior Cuban officials accused of human rights violations.
The US State Department renewed its $100M aid offer this week, but attached firm conditions. Distribution would need to occur through the Catholic Church and independent humanitarian organisations, deliberately sidestepping the Cuban government. Washington made clear that Havana’s response would define its accountability to its own citizens.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously claimed Cuba rejected an earlier version of the offer. The Cuban government denied that account.
Havana Pushes Back on US Terms
Rodríguez acknowledged that Cuba does not, as a general principle, refuse foreign aid offered genuinely and in good faith. However, he argued the most effective US contribution would be lifting the broader economic and energy restrictions. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed Washington entirely for the deteriorating situation, framing the fuel blockade as the sole driver of the island’s hardship.
The standoff leaves millions of Cubans facing extended daily blackouts with no clear resolution in sight. Analysts watching the region note that any aid agreement would mark an unusually direct exchange between the two governments.
