Cuba - National Blackout and Energy Crisis - March 2026

[otto]

"Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel lashed out after U.S. President Donald Trump said he could do "whatever he wants" with the Caribbean island and that Washington could take "imminent action" against it.

Díaz-Canel said on X that the Trump administration "publicly threatens" Cuba's government almost daily with overthrowing it, and any act of aggression "will clash with an impregnable resistance."
...

"The agenda that the United States has with this is to create conditions that are horrible enough on the island that people will rise up against the government," he said from Havana. "That's always been what sanctions are about. It's regime change through starvation."
...
Cuban doctor, Jesus Garcia, 62, cast doubt on the idea that the Trump administration would remove Díaz-Canel from power or intervene in Cuba, rolling his eyes at Trump's comments. "Americans can say whatever they want. The ones who decide what is done here in Cuba are the Cuban people," Garcia said."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cuba-trump-threats-costa-rica-9.7133882

 

[PrairieWind]

Looks similar to what T wants for America, dictatorship and stripping wealth. It’s not a humanitarian cause by any stretch

Except that is the opposite of reality. We strive for abundant fuel at affordable prices here, food, opportunity. You can say what you want. That is NOT the case in Cuba and it never was under Castro. The Castro's (Fidel and Raul) executed tens of thousands for just speaking out. That is not the US. Clearly, we have voices of opposition, as power changes back and forth between parties.

 

[PrairieWind]

Are we allowed to post transcripts? Just read one from a podcast yesterday about Cuba, they talk about the impact having no oil to generate the grid is having. There’s 100,000 people waiting on surgeries in hospitals and they can’t do the surgery because of the power blackouts. That’s awful.
Then there’s care homes, what about those people? People who need specialised equipment that requires electricity
What about people needing oxygen machines?
What about people needing chemotherapy treatments/radiotherapy treatments?
No water
Food is spoiling - so no food
One person was charged $300 for a tank full of gas for their vehicle!

It’s every day people like any one of us on here who are suffering

Moo

That is horrible!!! Why doesn't their government do something? Why don't nations aligned with Cuba provide aid? Canada???? Where are you?

 

[Lyanna]

That is horrible!!! Why doesn't their government do something? Why don't nations aligned with Cuba provide aid? Canada???? Where are you?

Perhaps the people of Cuba should be the ones to decide what they want? And not the American Government
Surprised at how unnecessarily rude your reply is.

 

[otto]

Are we allowed to post transcripts? Just read one from a podcast yesterday about Cuba, they talk about the impact having no oil to generate the grid is having. There’s 100,000 people waiting on surgeries in hospitals and they can’t do the surgery because of the power blackouts. That’s awful.
Then there’s care homes, what about those people? People who need specialised equipment that requires electricity
What about people needing oxygen machines?
What about people needing chemotherapy treatments/radiotherapy treatments?
No water
Food is spoiling - so no food
One person was charged $300 for a tank full of gas for their vehicle!

It’s every day people like any one of us on here who are suffering

Moo

It looks like the US strategy against Cuba is similar to the strategy against Iran and Lebanon. That is, the US intends to make life miserable for the population of a sovereign country with the expectation that the local population will protest and overthrow their own government. In other words, the US expects foreign populations to blame their own government for problems caused by the US.

This seems consistent with the US tariff war against the world. Tariffs are intended to cause economic hardship in many countries, and the US expects that populations will retaliate against their own government. The US Economic War against Canada does not result in protests against the Canadian government. It results in boycotts of US goods and services.

 

[otto]

Except that is the opposite of reality. We strive for abundant fuel at affordable prices here, food, opportunity. You can say what you want. That is NOT the case in Cuba and it never was under Castro. The Castro's (Fidel and Raul) executed tens of thousands for just speaking out. That is not the US. Clearly, we have voices of opposition, as power changes back and forth between parties.

Do you recall what year people were executed? Is this a reference to the 1950s?

 

[otto]

That is horrible!!! Why doesn't their government do something? Why don't nations aligned with Cuba provide aid? Canada???? Where are you?

Ottawa announces $8M to Cuba amid growing humanitarian crisis. Global Affairs Canada says the funding is meant 'to scale up food and nutrition for vulnerable Cubans'

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-funding-cuba-9.7105223

 

[PatLaurel]

necessity is, after all, the mother of invention.

Absolutely! Necessity makes us creative! And Cubans sure know how to ‘"resolver"!
MOO JMO

 

[otto]

"The ‘Nuestra América’ (Our America) flotilla began loading essential supplies and food at Progreso port in Yucatán, southeastern Mexico, on Thursday, as it is scheduled to sail for Cuba a few hours after loading is complete.

The convoy, which is scheduled to depart Thursday afternoon and arrive in Havana on Saturday, Mar. 21, is transporting food, medicine, hygiene products, and solar panels collected by various civil society organizations to Cuba, which is currently facing economic deterioration and an ongoing embargo imposed by the United States."

Convoy of humanitarian aid set to depart Mexico for Cuba - EFE

The 'Nuestra América' flotilla began loading essential supplies and food in Yucatán, southeastern Mexico, as it is scheduled to sail for Cuba

efe.com

 

[PatLaurel]

Any proof the Cuban government of the last 50 years cared?

Any proof they didn't?

MOO JMO

 

[otto]

"An international flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba will set sail in April. Politicians from Europe and Latin America are taking part in the initiative. Spain is closely observing the impact on the region and its relations with the US.

Humanitarian fleet to set sail for Cuba’s shores"

 

[otto]

Countries around the world (see links above) are sending humanitarian aid to Cuba because the US has attempted to starve Cubans. The US has interfered with all aspects of quality of life in Cuba.

For more links and information about countries providing humanitarian aid to Cuba, search: humanitarian aid cuba

 

[PrairieWind]

Any proof they didn't?

MOO JMO

Yes. As Exhibit 1, the condition of Cuba today.

 

[PatLaurel]

That is horrible!!! Why doesn't their government do something? Why don't nations aligned with Cuba provide aid? Canada???? Where are you?

Don’t you follow the news? There’s plenty about U.S. threats, sanctions, and pressure on countries helping Cuba. I mean… doesn’t this go all the way back to 1962?!

MOO JMO

 

[tlcya]

That is horrible!!! Why doesn't their government do something? Why don't nations aligned with Cuba provide aid? Canada???? Where are you?

just a guess, the purposeful sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving is making it difficult.

 

[PrairieWind]

Countries around the world (see links above) are sending humanitarian aid to Cuba because the US has attempted to starve Cubans. The US has interfered with all aspects of quality of life in Cuba.

For more links and information about countries providing humanitarian aid to Cuba, search: humanitarian aid cuba

Is the US starving the Cuban? What evidence is there of that? Every nation on the world can send whatever aid they like to the Cuban people. Many nations have done so over the years. Many seemed to have dropped off over the last few years. Why could that be? Why is Cuba in such a horrible situation suddenly?

 

[tlcya]

isn't that the whole purpose of a blockade? To prevent much needed goods from arriving in Cuba? To choke them into submission?

 

[PatLaurel]

Yes. As Exhibit 1, the condition of Cuba today.

The "condition of Cuba today" is thanks to you know who! And a little bit of History, it wasn't better before the Revolution unless you were at the top of the social hierarchy imposed by you know who! MOO JMO

 

[PatLaurel]

Is the US starving the Cuban? What evidence is there of that? Every nation on the world can send whatever aid they like to the Cuban people. Many nations have done so over the years. Many seemed to have dropped off over the last few years. Why could that be? Why is Cuba in such a horrible situation suddenly?

Did I read this correctly???

 

[otto]

Is the US starving the Cuban? What evidence is there of that? Every nation on the world can send whatever aid they like to the Cuban people. Many nations have done so over the years. Many seemed to have dropped off over the last few years. Why could that be? Why is Cuba in such a horrible situation suddenly?

According to the people of Cuba:

"The agenda that the United States has with this is to create conditions that are horrible enough on the island that people will rise up against the government," he said from Havana. "That's always been what sanctions are about. It's regime change through starvation."

March 18, 2026

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cuba-trump-threats-costa-rica-9.7133882