Cuba's state energy firm reports new nationwide blackout

Cuba's national electricity system has experienced yet another nationwide blackout, exacerbating the country's ongoing power struggles. The state-owned grid operator reported a complete disconnection of the national power system, affecting the entire population of 10 million people, including the capital city, Havana. The Ministry of Energy stated that they were in the process of reactingivating the grid.

This series of outages has severely impacted water supplies and cooling systems, making daily life extremely challenging for Cubans. Cuba's power supply primarily relies on aging oil-fired power plants. The country's access to fuel from Venezuela, its previous major supplier, was severed when the US imposed an oil embargo following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.

Cuba's reliance on Mexican oil imports, which have also come to a halt under US pressure, further complicates the situation. The single Russian tanker that delivered supplies to Cuba in March has exhausted its resources. Cuba has long been subject to a US embargo, but recent intensified sanctions by the Trump administration have further strained relations.

These sanctions have resulted in foreign companies suspending operations in Cuba and the US redesignating the island as a state sponsor of terrorism for the third time. The US administration has even threatened to take over the island.