How the U.S. Oil Blockade Is Impacting Cuba

The United States’ blockade on oil exports to Cuba is triggering a severe energy crisis on the island, resulting in rolling blackouts, grounded aircraft, and significant strain on hospitals.

On Monday, Cuban aviation authorities warned international airlines that the country is running critically low on jet fuel, suspending refueling services for a month, according to Federal Aviation Administration data. As a result, Air Canada announced it would temporarily halt flights to Cuba. The crisis follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month, which imposes tariffs on any country supplying oil to Cuba—a nation governed by a communist administration that the Trump administration seeks to replace.

Cuba’s economy, already weakened by decades of U.S. sanctions, worsened sharply in January when shipments from its main oil supplier, Venezuela, were interrupted following a U.S. military operation targeting President Nicolás Maduro. Mexico, another source of oil for Cuba, also halted shipments after Trump threatened tariffs on Mexican exports to the U.S. Financial Times reporting indicated that Cuba’s remaining oil reserves could only last 15 to 20 days at the current rate of consumption.

The fuel shortages have had serious humanitarian consequences. Many hospitals have canceled surgeries and postponed patient transfers, while critical medical supplies—including painkillers, gauze, and antibiotics—have become scarce. The shortage has also disrupted food distribution, prompting the U.S. to provide $6 million in humanitarian aid, including rice, beans, pasta, canned tuna, and solar lamps, which will be distributed by the Catholic Church and Caritas. Mexico is sending over 814 tons of food and hygiene products, expected to arrive in the coming days.

The United Nations warned that rolling blackouts are affecting the majority of Cubans and that the humanitarian situation will deteriorate further if the country’s oil needs are not met. Francisco Pichon, the UN’s senior representative in Cuba, noted that the past two years have been particularly challenging for the island.

Cuba’s difficulties are compounded by preexisting economic struggles, including a steep decline in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating effects of Hurricane Melissa last year, which displaced more than 735,000 people and destroyed homes and infrastructure across five provinces.

In response to the crisis, Cuba has called for dialogue with the U.S. government. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced what he described as “cruel aggression” aimed at undermining the political will of the Cuban people. He acknowledged that the situation would require significant sacrifices but emphasized Cuba’s willingness to engage in talks on its own terms.

President Trump stated in early February that the U.S. is in diplomatic conversations with “the highest people” in Cuba and suggested a deal could prevent a humanitarian disaster. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio reaffirmed the administration’s goal of ending Cuba’s communist regime, describing it as “an autocratic system” whose end would benefit the United States. Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío dismissed that prospect, asserting that Cuba is not prepared to reconsider its constitutional system, just as the U.S. is unlikely to reassess its political or economic framework.

The energy blockade has thus intensified an already precarious situation in Cuba, exacerbating economic, medical, and social challenges, while fueling heightened tensions between Havana and Washington.

Source: TIME