{
  "id": 5836703,
  "title": "Cuban Grid Collapse Worsens Cuba Economy Crisis as Blackouts Hit 11 Million",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/cuban-grid-collapse-worsens-cuba-economy-crisis-as-blackouts-hit-11",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T15:08:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Rio Times",
    "slug": "the-rio-times",
    "url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/cuba-economy-crisis-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On July 6, 2026, Cuba faced a nationwide blackout as its national electrical grid collapsed, leaving 11 million residents without power. This marked the third significant blackout in four months, with the island's power system teetering on the brink of exhaustion. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy confirmed on May 14 that Cuba had run out of fuel and diesel, leaving the country in a critical state. Since January 2026, the United States has imposed a fuel blockade, threatening tariffs on any country supplying oil to Cuba, which has cut almost all tanker arrivals. By July 7, only about a third of Havana's electricity had been restored, with controlled outages stretching to 30 hours. The aging electrical grid, which has been deteriorating in recent years, is vulnerable to breakdowns and has been the source of repeated failures throughout 2026. The fuel blockade has also restricted hospital services and surgeries, forcing residents to resort to wood fires for heating and cooking. The Cuban economy contracted sharply during the first half of 2026, reflecting the energy shock felt across various sectors.",
  "summary": "Cuba economy crisis hits investors as the grid collapsed four times in 2026, fuel ran out in May and blackouts reached 20 hours a day in Havana. The post Cuban Grid Collapse Worsens Cuba Economy Crisis as Blackouts Hit 11 Million appeared first on The Rio Times .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}