What to know about the deepening economic and political turmoil in Cuba

What to know about the deepening economic and political turmoil in Cuba 1 of 7 | Energy is gradually being restored after Monday’s nationwide power outage, but millions remain without electricity. At this stage, Cuba is running on fumes. (AP Video: Ariel Fernández and Milexsy Durán) 2 of 7 | Large parts of Cuba were without power on Tuesday after its third blackout within four months underscored the island’s deepening energy and economic crises and rising political tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump. (AP video by Ariel Fernández and Milexsy Durán) 3 of 7 | Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling for “new people in charge” of Cuba as the island experiences its third nationwide blackout in four months. Rubio’s comments came as President Donald Trump told reporters: “We’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon.” 4 of 7 | A bread vendor holds a cell phone up to his ear during irregular connectivity due to a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) 5 of 7 | Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers a question about Cuba during a meeting between President Donald Trump and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) 6 of 7 | People walk on a street during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) 7 of 7 | A girl plays in the doorway of the building where there is an art installation related to the Cuban Revolution, during a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) 1 of 7 Energy is gradually being restored after Monday’s nationwide power outage, but millions remain without electricity. At this stage, Cuba is running on fumes. (AP Video: Ariel Fernández and Milexsy Durán) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 2 of 7 Large parts of Cuba were without power on Tuesday after its third blackout within four months underscored the island’s deepening energy and economic crises and rising political tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump. (AP video by Ariel Fernández and Milexsy Durán) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 3 of 7 Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling for “new people in charge” of Cuba as the island experiences its third nationwide blackout in four months. Rubio’s comments came as President Donald Trump told reporters: “We’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon.” Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 4 of 7 A bread vendor holds a cell phone up to his ear during irregular connectivity due to a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 5 of 7 Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers a question about Cuba during a meeting between President Donald Trump and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 6 of 7 People walk on a street during a blackout in Havana, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. 7 of 7 A girl plays in the doorway of the building where there is an art installation related to the Cuban Revolution, during a blackout in Havana, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Cuba’s widening economic turmoil along with its growing political tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump have paralyzed much of the island and raised uncertainty about what’s next.The country was plunged into darkness this week by a blackout — the third big failure of its power grid since December — opening the door for Trump to suggest that he might have the “honor of taking Cuba.”“I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it,” Trump said on Monday. Cuba is struggling under the weight of an U.S. energy blockade that has halted oil shipments to the island over the past three months.Many of the nation’s 11 million residents struggle to keep food from spoiling. Hospitals have canceled surgeries. The leading university has reduced classes due to the power outages and transportation shutdowns.Here’s what to know about Cuba’s persistent blackouts and deepening crisis. US leaders say power outages signal need for changeThe U.S. State Department said Tuesday that the ongoing blackouts are a symptom of the Cuban government’s failure to provide the most basic needs for its people.When asked about Cuba at an unrelated White House event on Tuesday, Trump turned to his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who is the son of Cuban immigrants.Rubio said Cuba’s current political system and government can’t fix the country’s problems. “So they have to change dramatically,” Rubio said. Cuba’s economic troubles are part of pressure campaignThe Trump administration is demanding that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions.Trump has for months suggested Cuba’s government is on the verge of collapse and said after the U.S. ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that the increased economic pressure on the island meant the U.S. could have a “friendly takeover” there — though he has not clarified what that means. Talks between the US and Cuba have been ongoingCuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed last week that there have been discussions with Washington.While he wouldn’t provide any specifics about the talks, he did say they were aimed at finding solutions to the “bilateral differences between our two nations.”Trump has suggested that top Cuban leaders would be smart to avoid the fate of Maduro, who was arrested in a U.S. military operation in January. The Trump administration is looking for Díaz-Canel to leave power, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of talks between Washington and Havana, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive talks and did not offer any details about who the administration might like to see as a replacement.Fuel is in short supplyCuba has struggled with dwindling oil after the U.S. removed Venezuela’s leader, halting critical petroleum shipments from the nation. Trump then threatened tariffs on any country selling or supplying Cuba with oil.The island is relying on its own natural gas, solar power and its own oil to run thermoelectric plants, but that hasn’t been enough to meet demand.The impact has been crippling. Buses have cut routes, gas is strictly rationed and a Cuban official said the health care system is teetering.That’s on top of what was already a shortage of basic necessities, including food and medicine. Cuba’s aging grid has deteriorated in recent years to the point of being unreliable. There are daily outages and more frequent major blackouts. Its thermoelectric plants are in poor shape too, seeing little maintenance. U.S. sanctions have prevented the government from buying new equipment and specialized parts, officials have said.Shortages of fuel oil and diesel also have limited power production.AP writers Aamer Madhani and Seung Min Kim contributed from Washington. Seewer covers state and national news for The Associated Press and is based in Toledo, Ohio.