‘Absolutely no fuel’: Cuba hit by blackouts, protests amid power outages

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Briefing Summary

AI-generated

NEWSAR · AI

Cuba is experiencing widespread power outages and rare protests due to a severe fuel shortage. The government announced on May 14, 2026, that it has "absolutely no fuel, oil, and absolutely no diesel," relying solely on limited domestic crude oil and gas production. These blackouts, affecting large parts of the island, have led to demonstrations in neighborhoods near Havana. President Miguel Diaz-Canel attributed the crisis to US sanctions, which he described as an "energy blockade" hindering fuel imports. The national electric system is fragile, with significant power generation capacity lost due to the lack of fuel.

Confidence 0.90Sources 2Claims 5Entities 10

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Article analysis

Model · rule-based

Framing

Economic Impact

Political Strategy

Tone

Mixed Tone

AI-assessed

CalmNeutralAlarmist

Factuality

0.60 / 1.00

Mixed

LowHigh

Sources cited

2

Limited

FewMany

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Key claims

5 extracted

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President Miguel Diaz-Canel blamed the crisis on US sanctions, calling it a 'genocidal energy blockade'.

quoteMiguel Diaz-Canel

Confidence

1.00

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Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy stated that Cuba has 'absolutely no fuel, oil, and absolutely no diesel'.

quoteVicente de la O Levy

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1.00

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The country was expected to face a deficit of more than 2,000 megawatts during peak evening hours.

statisticMiguel Diaz-Canel

Confidence

0.90

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Cuba is experiencing nationwide electricity shutdowns due to a severe fuel shortage.

factual

Confidence

0.90

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Rare protests erupted in neighborhoods around Havana due to the blackouts.

factual

Confidence

0.80

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Full report

2 min read · 319 words

Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns.Published On 14 May 2026Cuba has been hit by worsening power outages after the island’s communist government said fuel reserves had run out, as rare protests erupted in neighbourhoods around the capital, Havana.Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on Thursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns, while demonstrations over the blackouts broke out in western areas near Havana.Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2‘It’s a failed nation’: Trump pressures Cuba as fuel crisis deepenslist 2 of 2Trump administration offers $100m in aid to Cuba in exchange for reformend of list“We have absolutely no fuel, oil, and absolutely no diesel,” Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said during a late Wednesday news conference.“The only thing we have is gas from our own wells, whose production has increased, and domestic crude oil, whose production is also rising,” he said, adding that Cuba was struggling to secure fuel imports.“The situation is very tense. The impact of the blockade is causing us significant harm, and we are still not receiving fuel,” he added.The island, home to about 10 million people, is relying on limited domestic fuel production and solar energy to keep parts of the grid operating, but the electrical system has become increasingly fragile.Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel blamed the worsening crisis on US sanctions.“The situation of the National Electric System has become particularly tense in recent days,” Diaz-Canel said in a statement on Wednesday, saying that the country was expected to face a deficit of more than 2,000 megawatts during the evening’s peak demand hours.Diaz-Canel also said about 1,100 megawatts of power generation had already been lost on Wednesday due to fuel shortages, which he described as the result of a “genocidal energy blockade” imposed by the US and threats of tariffs against countries supplying fuel to Cuba.

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