Trending Now - Cuba Faces Deepening Energy Crisis as Oil Supplies Dwindle
WHO:
BBC News - Vicente de la O Levy, Cuban Minister of Energy and Mines
CNN - Cuban government, Trump administration, US State Department
WHAT:
CNN - Vicente de la O Levy stated, “We have absolutely no diesel,” highlighting the critical energy situation in Cuba.
CNN - Blackouts in Havana now exceed 20-22 hours per day, according to Vicente de la O Levy.
Newsweek - Protests in Cuba have intensified due to the blackouts caused by the U.S. fuel blockade, which have been occurring since early 2026.
BBC News - Cuba has run out of diesel and oil.
CNN - The situation in Cuba is described as "very tense" by Vicente de la O Levy.
CNN - The oil reserves to run Cuba's electrical grid are "all but spent."
CNN - Cubans are experiencing blackouts that last most of the day, with reports of blackouts exceeding 20-22 hours per day in Havana.
CNN - The US is offering Cuba $100 million in aid for "meaningful reforms to Cuba’s communist system."
WHERE:
BBC News - Cuba
CNN - Havana, Cuba
WHEN:
CNN - A Russian donation of oil was made in late March and was exhausted in early May.
CNN - The US has cut off oil shipments to Cuba for more than four months.
WHY:
CNN - The U.S. fuel blockade is a result of the Trump administration's declaration that the Cuban government presents a threat to U.S. national security, following the U.S. attack on Venezuela in January.
CNN - The US-led blockade of oil to Cuba is a result of the Trump administration's declaration that the Cuban government presents a threat to US national security.
CNN - The Trump administration aims to force the Cuban government to open the island politically and economically and to oust top leadership.
HOW:
CNN - Cubans are reportedly waking in the middle of the night during brief moments of electricity to perform basic tasks like laundry and cooking.
CNN - Cuba is increasingly using solar power, aided by panels donated by China, although power generation fluctuates due to weather conditions and lack of storage batteries.
(UPDATED May 14, 2026 13:28 UTC)
Cuba is facing a dire energy crisis, with Vicente de la O Levy stating that the country has "absolutely no diesel" and blackouts in Havana now lasting over 20 hours a day. Protests have intensified in response to these blackouts, which are attributed to the U.S. fuel blockade that began earlier this year, following the Trump administration's declaration of the Cuban government as a national security threat. Many Cubans are forced to wake in the middle of the night during brief moments of electricity just to complete essential tasks like laundry and cooking.
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(UPDATED May 14, 2026 09:46 UTC)
Cuba has run out of diesel and oil, leading to a situation described as "very tense" by Vicente de la O Levy, the Cuban Minister of Energy and Mines. Blackouts in Havana are lasting most of the day, with reports of outages exceeding 20 to 22 hours, while the US is offering $100 million in aid for meaningful reforms to Cuba's communist system. The US has cut off oil shipments to Cuba for more than four months, a move stemming from the Trump administration's belief that the Cuban government poses a threat to US national security.