Cuba’s Fuel Shortage Plunges Country into Blackouts

A severe fuel shortage in Cuba, exacerbated by US pressure campaigns and an oil embargo, has triggered widespread blackouts and disrupted essential services across the island. The crisis has left gas stations closed with long queues, halted trash collection, and caused significant disruptions to the banking system and water supply due to power failures. Rolling blackouts have plunged cities like Havana into darkness, affecting hospitals, schools, and daily life, while garbage piles up in the streets. This situation echoes the hardships of the 1990s "Special Period," highlighting the fragility of Cuba's aging infrastructure and inefficient state-controlled economy. Amidst these privations, citizens have expressed frustration through protests, such as banging pots and pans during night-time blackouts. The article also notes the opaque power structures within Cuba, where military elites allegedly hoard profits from key sectors like tourism. Despite the presence of new Chinese vehicles and some private enterprise, the country faces deepening urban decay and systemic economic challenges under the leadership of Miguel Díaz-Canel, guided by the influential Castro family.