Cubans struggle to bounce back after 6th nationwide blackout this year
Cuba experienced its sixth nationwide blackout this year on Sunday, August 3, 2026, leaving much of the Caribbean nation disconnected from power. This follows a series of widespread and partial outages throughout 2026, with rolling blackouts now exceeding 20 hours daily. The energy grid collapses are attributed to the U.S. effectively cutting Cuba off from oil in January and maintaining a pressure campaign against the government. These blackouts exacerbate existing economic and energy crises, crumbling infrastructure, and migration issues, making daily life challenging for Cubans. Obtaining essential goods and services has become a daylong struggle, impacting tourism and hospitals, and forcing residents to seek relief from the summer heat in public spaces.