Cuban power grid collapses for second time in a week amid US oil blockade - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirwFBVV95cUxNY29XSFp6SmFnbEpDdWh4eFVIbkI4dnlBcVA3ZHVNaXpFQXg3QXZrUENTd0JnN1NmbndSTHhBTmFfM1E3WnltMGNQUlVLZmxZekl1b1dzV193WHNJRnhQdEFETWV1MlFmYXFtVXAwRDZ5dkVpMlJHbVhkTnlWR0RrNFFlS2dtR1lhNzdham5vYWFIR1psdUR4ZUFzek5VaEstUXlXaWdCQUtELTBzM21J?oc=5" target="_blank">Cuban power grid collapses for second time in a week amid US oil blockade</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

As Cuba grapples with a worsening energy and economic crisis, it is preparing to receive its first shipment of Russian oil for 2026. A Russian-flagged tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying 730,000 barrels of fuel, is en route and expected to arrive within 10 days. This marks Cuba’s first oil import in three months, amid a stringent U.S. energy blockade. Another ship, the Sea Horse, carrying an additional 200,000 barrels of diesel, is also believed to be heading to Cuba after delaying its course in the Atlantic. The shipments come at a time when Cuba is operating largely on diminished energy resources like solar, natural gas, and thermoelectricity. With only 40% of its oil produced domestically, the island has faced increased strain since oil flows from Venezuela and Mexico were halted due to U.S. political and economic pressures, including the arrest of Venezuela’s president and further Trump administration sanctions. Power outages lasting up to 10 hours, transport limitations, and a drop in tourism are exacerbating the crisis. Aid from Europe, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico is on the way, with a flotilla carrying 30 tons of humanitarian goods expected to arrive alongside foreign delegates. The U.S. Southern Command is monitoring developments but denies planning military intervention.

Trade between the United States and Cuba has dramatically collapsed amid escalating tensions under President Donald Trump's administration, posing a major threat to the Cuban Communist Party's long-standing grip on power. Following the U.S.-led ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump has intensified pressure on Cuba’s government, pushing for regime change and implying potential military intervention. Though a formal blockade hasn’t been declared, trade has plummeted, with oil and essential goods shipments nearly ceasing. Only domestic port calls were registered in March, the lowest since 2017. The resulting fuel shortages have caused blackouts and medical service breakdowns, devastating daily life for the island’s 11 million residents. Despite the crisis, U.S. restrictions haven’t officially tightened; trade surged in 2025, particularly food and humanitarian donations. However, Trump’s aggressive rhetoric and presence of warships in the Caribbean have led businesses to avoid dealings with Cuba. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has attempted to soften the approach with humanitarian aid and allowances for private fuel sales, real economic relief remains scarce. Cubans yearn for change but fear U.S. domination, as uncertainty about their country's future deepens.