HAVANA (AP) — Cuban officials reported island-wide power outages Monday for the country of about 11 million people as the energy and economic crisis deepens. Cuba has blamed its woes on a U.S. energy blockade after President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to it.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines said in X that the country’s power system was “completely out of power” and said it was investigating.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel said on Friday that the island had not received oil shipments for more than three months and was running on solar, natural gas and thermal power plants, with the government having to postpone operations for tens of thousands of people.
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A massive blackout hit the west of the island a week ago, leaving millions without power.
Vital oil shipments from Venezuela were suspended after the United States attacked the South American country in early January and arrested then-President Nicolas Maduro.
Although Cuba produces 40% of its oil and has been generating its own electricity, it is not enough to meet demand as its power grid continues to collapse.
On Friday, Díaz-Canel confirmed that Cuba was in talks with the U.S. government as the problem continues to deepen.
