Full Breakdown
Cuba Endures Second Nationwide Power Outage in One Week
7/11/2026, 10:46:48 PM
Background: U.S. Oil Blockade and Sanctions
The collapse on July 10 marks the second total blackout this week and the fourth of 2026. Cuban officials attribute the failures to a U.S.–imposed oil blockade that began after President Donald Trump deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3. Venezuela had been Cuba’s primary fuel supplier; U.S. pressure subsequently led Mexico to halt oil shipments. Havana maintains that the decades-old U.S. trade embargo and recent fuel restrictions have crippled the island’s aging generation system, while Washington blames mismanagement of Cuba’s state-run economy and cites a policy goal of promoting democratic elections and releasing political prisoners.
Impact on Residents and Social Unrest
The outages have left roughly 10 million Cubans without reliable electricity. In central Havana, café owner Yailin Fis Garcia reported that perishable food spoils, creating an “economic hit.” Many neighborhoods now receive only one to two hours of power daily, forcing residents like Gabriel Rico to keep flashlights at hand. The chronic shortages have sparked scattered “pot-banging” protests, echoing the mass demonstrations of July 2021, though on a smaller scale.
Official Statements & International Reactions
Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy announced that protocols are being activated to restore the National Electric Power System amid “the difficulties we face on a daily basis.” Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla condemned the U.S. measures as a “systematic violation of the human rights of an entire people in an act of collective punishment.” At the U.N. General Assembly, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz placed sole responsibility on Havana, urging the government to “change your ways and turn the lights back on for your people.” The majority of UN speakers called on Washington to lift the blockade and reverse sanctions.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are already working on restoring the National Electric Power System, a complex situation amid all the difficulties we face on a daily basis,” — Vicente de la O Levy, Energy Minister
- “All the food spoils, which is an economic hit,” — Yailin Fis Garcia, Café Owner
- “We are prepared for the blockade, which is what has us suffering like this, what has left us in shreds — in shreds, that's what it has done to us.” — Gabriel Rico, Havana Resident
- “Change your ways and turn the lights back on for your people.” — Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.
- “systematic violation of the human rights of an entire people in an act of collective punishment.” — Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs
