Protests Erupt in Havana Amid Severe Fuel and Power Shortages

Small but visible protests broke out in Havana, Cuba, as residents expressed growing frustration over worsening shortages of food, electricity, and fuel. The Cuban government announced that the nation’s fuel reserves had been completely exhausted following the depletion of a 100,000-tonne emergency shipment of Russian crude oil that arrived in late March. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy described the situation as very tense due to slowed fuel deliveries, while President Miguel Diaz-Canel attributed the crisis to US sanctions and the embargo targeting oil supplies. The infrastructure strain is compounded by eight ageing thermoelectric plants, many operating for over 40 years, which frequently break down. Earlier in the week, approximately 65 percent of the country experienced simultaneous blackouts, with some areas in Havana enduring power outages lasting more than 19 hours daily. In response to the unrest, particularly in eastern provinces and Havana neighborhoods where residents banged pots and shouted for restoration of services, authorities deployed a visible security presence. The crisis has intensified since January when tighter US restrictions disrupted fuel imports, exacerbating the humanitarian and economic challenges facing the island's 9.6 million inhabitants.