Cuba - National Blackout and Energy Crisis - March 2026

[PrairieWind]

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

Canada and most EU nations freely traded with the Cuba despite the US refusal. But still Cuba had to get most of its funding from the USSR, and then lately PRC. Recently, last 20 years, all the energy (oil) came from Venezuela (Chavez/Maduro). But note that the time line also matches Venezuela's collapse. Cuba wasn't actually paying for that oil.
There is nothing preventing

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

Lets break this down a bit. You post a link to the Canadian Broadcasting Company on this matter. The CBS allows no comments on theirs articles. There is no dissent or discussion allowed. But the CBC then just quotes the Cuban dictator and you refer to it as the "people of Cuba." Well there is no free discussion in Cuba like here, so we really don't know what the average Cuban thinks do we? The Canadian media wants to paint a picture that its own government doesn't seem to support. Canada has always openly traded and had travel with Cuba. Canada could replace easily the oil Cuba needs. But it isn't. Why? Despite Canadian media, it appears Canada's bureaucracy is more in line with the US. Why? Because we all know a free Cuba is better for everyone. Let freedom ring!!!!

 

[otto]

Beautiful weather, great tourism - what's the plan?
... a trial run for what the US wants to do with Gaza?

 

[otto]

Canada and most EU nations freely traded with the Cuba despite the US refusal. But still Cuba had to get most of its funding from the USSR, and then lately PRC. Recently, last 20 years, all the energy (oil) came from Venezuela (Chavez/Maduro). But note that the time line also matches Venezuela's collapse. Cuba wasn't actually paying for that oil.
There is nothing preventing

Lets break this down a bit. You post a link to the Canadian Broadcasting Company on this matter. The CBS allows no comments on theirs articles. There is no dissent or discussion allowed. But the CBC then just quotes the Cuban dictator and you refer to it as the "people of Cuba." Well there is no free discussion in Cuba like here, so we really don't know what the average Cuban thinks do we? The Canadian media wants to paint a picture that its own government doesn't seem to support. Canada has always openly traded and had travel with Cuba. Canada could replace easily the oil Cuba needs. But it isn't. Why? Despite Canadian media, it appears Canada's bureaucracy is more in line with the US. Why? Because we all know a free Cuba is better for everyone. Let freedom ring!!!!

Why doesn't Canada ship oil to Cuba? Although 96% of Canada's oil is required by the US at this time, Canada is pivoting to supply oil to other countries. Until then, Canada assists Cuba in other ways.

"Canada is the world's fourth-largest crude oil producer with an output capacity of 5.76 million barrels per day, but 96 per cent of exports went to the United States in 2024 (Table 1). Canada's oil is landlocked in Alberta and Saskatchewan, which have limited offshore export potential."

Canada’s Oil Exporting Future: From the Trans-Mountain to the Indo-Pacific

Canada's Trans-Mountain Expansion Project has enhanced Western Canada’s oil maritime export capacity allowing access to new markets across the Asia Pacific.

www.asiapacific.ca

 

[otto]

I don't believe the humanitarian disaster in Cuba should be viewed through the lens of "why isn't Canada fixing the problem?"

The US intentionally caused an humanitarian disaster in Cuba. The US threatened every country that supplied Cuba with Oil. Mexico supplied Cuba with oil, but US tariff threats have created serious concerns of an humanitarian disaster in other countries.

Is this a problem that Canada should solve, or is this a problem that the US population should solve? Everyone knows that the US is responsible for causing an humanitarian disaster in many countries, including Cuba, Lebanon, Iran. The US is the problem, not Canada.

"U.S. President Donald Trump blindsided Mexico with an executive order threatening tariffs on any country that supplied Cuba with oil, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed on Friday.
...

Sheinbaum said the tariff threats over oil shipments to Cuba could trigger a major humanitarian crisis on the island. Cutting off oil supplies would severely impact the operations of hospitals, the electrical grid and the food supply, she said.

"The imposition of tariffs on countries that provide oil to Cuba could create a far-reaching humanitarian crisis," Sheinbaum said."​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mexico-cuba-trump-oil-tariff-9.7069046

 

[otto]

Humanitarian crisis caused by the US.

"Some of us who have a little business have a bit to eat, but many, many, many people do not have it. It’s very, very bad."

Peralta lives in Ciego De Avila, in central Cuba, where he operates a small pizzeria out of his home. He says he's lucky — he still gets power a few hours per day, but says that's only because he lives near a location where fuel is delivered.
...

There's limited access to water and without power, they can't cook, he said. But without transportation, they can't get to work to earn money for food, anyway, and when there's no power, there's no phones."

Feb 10, 2026

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cuba-fuel-crisis-9.7083047

 

[PrairieWind]

I don't believe the humanitarian disaster in Cuba should be viewed through the lens of "why isn't Canada fixing the problem?"

The US intentionally caused an humanitarian disaster in Cuba. The US threatened every country that supplied Cuba with Oil. Mexico supplied Cuba with oil, but US tariff threats have created serious concerns of an humanitarian disaster in other countries.

Is this a problem that Canada should solve, or is this a problem that the US population should solve? Everyone knows that the US is responsible for causing an humanitarian disaster in many countries, including Cuba, Lebanon, Iran. The US is the problem, not Canada.

"U.S. President Donald Trump blindsided Mexico with an executive order threatening tariffs on any country that supplied Cuba with oil, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed on Friday.​

...​

​

Sheinbaum said the tariff threats over oil shipments to Cuba could trigger a major humanitarian crisis on the island. Cutting off oil supplies would severely impact the operations of hospitals, the electrical grid and the food supply, she said.​

​

"The imposition of tariffs on countries that provide oil to Cuba could create a far-reaching humanitarian crisis," Sheinbaum said."​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mexico-cuba-trump-oil-tariff-9.7069046

Oh please. "is this a problem that Canada should solve, or is this a problem that the US population should solve? Everyone knows that the US is responsible for causing an humanitarian disaster in many countries,..."
Really? The US feeds half the world. Provides funding to half their projects. Why? Now that we are finally saying "WHY", we are accused of creating humanitarian crisis? Why can't cuba feed itself and fuel itself? They boasted of the support of the PRC. Cuban resorts are full of Canadians. Why do they starve? It is NOT the USA job to support this country.

 

[otto]

Oh please. "is this a problem that Canada should solve, or is this a problem that the US population should solve? Everyone knows that the US is responsible for causing an humanitarian disaster in many countries,..."
Really? The US feeds half the world. Provides funding to half their projects. Why? Now that we are finally saying "WHY", we are accused of creating humanitarian crisis? Why can't cuba feed itself and fuel itself? They boasted of the support of the PRC. Cuban resorts are full of Canadians. Why do they starve? It is NOT the USA job to support this country.

No one expects anything from the US in relation to Cuba except to stop interfering. Cuba can manage without the US, as it has done for decades.

The US wants to build resorts in Cuba, and there is some mistaken belief that cutting off oil will result in public protest, which will overthrow the Cuban government, and the people of Cuba will embrace the US as the saviour. The US has the same strange idea about Iran.

It's an absurd attitude towards foreign countries. In my opinion, the arrogance is astounding.

 

[PrairieWind]

No one expects anything from the US in relation to Cuba except to stop interfering. Cuba can manage without the US, as it has done for decades.

The US wants to build resorts in Cuba, and there is some mistaken belief that cutting off oil will result in public protest, which will overthrow the Cuban government, and the people of Cuba will embrace the US as the saviour. The US has the same strange idea about Iran.

It's an absurd attitude towards foreign countries.

I would say that we should leave these decisions to the Cuban people. But what we have seen is that Cuba cannot continue without massive outside subsidies. correct? The nations that do so in the past are now not willing to do so. Why? It matters little to the Cuban people. Who will turn the power back on? It isn't the communist party, it isn't Russian, it isn't the PRC, it isn't canada. It isn't like these folks couldn't have power tomorrow. They could.

 

[otto]

I would say that we should leave these decisions to the Cuban people. But what we have seen is that Cuba cannot continue without massive outside subsidies. correct? The nations that do so in the past are now not willing to do so. Why? It matters little to the Cuban people. Who will turn the power back on? It isn't the communist party, it isn't Russian, it isn't the PRC, it isn't canada. It isn't like these folks couldn't have power tomorrow. They could.

Apparently the US is terrified of Cuba.

I think that the US should stop interfering with sovereign nations like Canada, Greenland, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela. If the US wants something from sovereign nations, pay for it. If it's not for sale, move on.

"I find that the policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Cuba constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

The Government of Cuba has taken extraordinary actions that harm and threaten the United States.
...

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the situation with respect to Cuba constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and hereby declare a national emergency with respect to that threat."​

Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Cuba

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency

www.whitehouse.gov

 

[PatLaurel]

Cuba wasn't actually paying for that oil.

Wrong! Cuba was, and still is, paying for that oil. Not with money but with services.

 

[otto]

Wrong! Cuba was, and still is, paying for that oil. Not with money but with services.

Remember all that nonsense about Venezuela stealing from the US? Truth is that the US is angry because Venezuela nationalized their oil.

Today, the US states that Cuba is a "threat" to the US. Truth is that Cuba nationalized US assets in 1960 and the US is still angry.

Countries that terminated foreign exploitation by the US decades ago continue to be threatened by the US.

"Cuba and Venezuela institutionalised a barter-style arrangement under which Caracas supplied subsidised crude oil in exchange for Cuban medical and technical personnel. Tens of thousands of Cuban doctors staffed Venezuela’s community health programs, while oil shipments – at times approaching 100,000 barrels per day on preferential terms – became a pillar of Cuba’s energy security and balance of payments."

https://www.crisisgroup.org/qna/latin-america-caribbean/cuba-united-states/hunger-havana-can-us-cutoff-bring-change-cuba

 

[PatLaurel]

The US feeds half the world. Provides funding to half their projects.

Source, please. TIA

 

[otto]

"In Cuba, there is a need for everything. There is little food, the power goes out constantly, medicines are nowhere to be found, and the fuel shortage is becoming more acute by the day. Partly due to the United States oil blockade , the country is in a deep crisis that feels all too familiar to many Cubans.
...

Internationally, concerns about the deteriorating situation resulting from President Trump's oil blockade are also growing louder. Several ships have departed from Mexico with emergency aid in recent weeks. Ally Russia was reportedly sending an oil tanker toward Cuba to break the American blockade, but according to The New York Times , it changed course instead.

There is also an activist fleet en route to the Cuban capital Havana, similar to the fleet to Gaza last year."

March 19, 2026

Crisis op Cuba groter dan ooit, 'nieuwe vonk kan tot revolutie leiden'

Door de olietekorten stapelen de problemen zich op. Cuba staat op dit moment stil, zegt de Nederlands-Cubaanse filmmaker Yuribert Capetillo Hardy.

nos.nl

 

[Seni]

Please watch this!

 

[303gmf]

Please watch this!

Wim Winders is brilliant!

 

[Seni]

There is so much talent, whether musical, remember also Celia Cruz, writers Alejo Carpentier y Martí, sportspeople, to name a few.

 

[PatLaurel]

.

There is so much talent, whether musical, remember also Celia Cruz, writers Alejo Carpentier y Martí, sportspeople, to name a few.

And some were against the regime, but that didn't stop them!
I often think of Reinaldo Arenas, who left Cuba only to die alone in New York. That wouldn’t happen in Cuba, where people with differing political views can still be friends and stay by your side. Watch the Cuban movie "Fresa y Chocolate", it captures this beautifully.

 

[HmmMysterious]

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

Maybe because the U.S is imposing a total blockade on the country?

 

[Seni]

IMO, you cant just be looking at another country you have no experience of and make decisions about their future.

Just because they are "developing countries". Some things work better in these countries. People are nice, vecinos, people make things work, like their 20 year old cars.

They like to do it. When they can. And they do.

Maybe, one day Trump will also call them "sh** hole countries like he did for Africa.
Just embarrassing