Key facts
- Cubans protested nationwide power cuts by banging pots and setting rubbish on fire.
- Monday's outage was the third this year, exacerbating rolling electricity cuts.
- Fuel shortages are attributed to U.S. sanctions and an oil blockade.
- President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged public dissatisfaction but directed blame at the U.S.
- The U.S. Ambassador to the UN blamed the Cuban government for the outages.
- Cuba's foreign minister accused the U.S. of "multi-dimensional, non-conventional warfare."
Cubans in several locations across the island protested on Tuesday evening by banging pots and setting rubbish on fire, expressing anger over the third nationwide power cut this year. The outages, which have become increasingly frequent, are compounded by state-imposed rolling electricity cuts aimed at conserving dwindling fuel supplies. Some rural areas are experiencing blackouts for up to 70 hours at a time, while urban areas face planned outages of up to 30 hours.
Fuel shortages have been worsened by tight U.S. sanctions and an effective oil blockade, leaving even those with generators without the means to power them. Cuban officials stated that power had been restored to most of the country by Tuesday evening, but residents in still-dark areas shouted demands for electricity.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged the widespread discontent, citing shortages of transport, food, medicines, and lengthy power cuts as causes of public suffering. However, he urged citizens to direct their anger towards the U.S. government, which he accused of being behind the power cuts.
Conversely, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz placed the blame squarely on the Cuban government, urging it to "change your ways and turn the lights back on for your people." He suggested that power was always available for the Cuban dictatorship. Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, responded by accusing the U.S. of waging "multi-dimensional, non-conventional warfare" against Cuba, describing it as increasingly cruel over the past seven months.
U.S.-Cuban relations have significantly deteriorated since the start of the year, with the Trump administration imposing fresh sanctions and an oil blockade. Despite public exchanges, private talks have been ongoing, though Cuba's foreign minister indicated they have shown no progress, while leaving the door open for dialogue based on mutual respect.