Cuba is facing one of its most severe energy crises in decades as a renewed US pressure campaign has choked off vital oil supplies to the island. Just weeks after Washington moved to halt fuel shipments, satellite data analyzed by Bloomberg News show that nighttime light intensity across much of the country has dropped dramatically – by as much as 50% in some eastern cities.
The impact is visible from space. According to imagery from NASA’s Black Marble dataset, dense suburbs in cities like Santiago de Cuba and Holguín have dimmed to a fraction of their usual glow. Streetlights, residential buildings, and once-bustling commercial districts are now plunged into darkness for long stretches each day.
At the center of this unfolding crisis lies a political standoff between Donald Trump and Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel. The confrontation escalated after US authorities detained Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in early January, prompting Washington to order the interim Venezuelan government to halt energy shipments to Havana. Soon after, the White House warned other countries that supplying oil to Cuba could trigger punitive tariffs, effectively sealing off the island’s remaining fuel lifelines.
Even before the latest measures, Cuba’s electricity system was precarious. The island relies heavily on aging thermoelectric plants that consume roughly 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Much of that oil had been supplied by Venezuela under preferential agreements, supplemented by shipments from Mexico. But the grid’s vulnerabilities became starkly evident in December when a key transmission line failure temporarily severed Havana from major power plants in Matanzas province. The system recovered only partially before the oil blockade began.
Since the start of the year, available electricity has plummeted. Data from Unión Eléctrica, the state utility, show a sharp contraction in daily power generation that aligns closely with the suspension of oil imports. By mid-February, Cuba had gone a full month without a significant fuel delivery.
Satellite imagery reveals that the burden of blackouts is not evenly distributed. While eastern provincial capitals have experienced steep declines in light output, Havana – the political and economic heart of the country – remains comparatively illuminated.
Havana, home to roughly one-fifth of Cuba’s population, appears to have been prioritized. Though some suburban districts such as Cojímar and Alamar are noticeably darker, central Havana’s lights have largely stayed on.
The reasons are both political and practical. The capital houses key government institutions, industrial zones, and military facilities. Ensuring a minimum level of stability there is essential for the administration of Díaz-Canel. But economic disparities may also explain the contrast. Havana is Cuba’s wealthiest region, and its residents are more likely to have access to alternative energy solutions. Over recent years, many households in the capital have imported solar panels and battery storage systems, expensive investments that allow them to store power when the grid is active and use it during outages. In poorer provinces, such technological adaptations are far less common. As a result, rural towns and secondary cities have borne the brunt of prolonged outages.
The suspension of oil imports has created an acute supply crunch. According to shipping data from analytics firm Kpler, the last small cargo from Mexico arrived in Havana on January 9. Shortly thereafter, US threats of tariffs on any country providing fuel to Cuba discouraged further shipments.
All major oil imports have now halted. Analysts estimate that Cuba’s remaining fuel reserves could last fewer than 20 days, though the government has not released official figures. In response, authorities have introduced emergency measures aimed at conserving energy and stretching dwindling supplies. Public transportation routes have been reduced. The workweek for many state employees has been shortened to four days. Tourist resorts have been shuttered temporarily, and gasoline sales have been restricted to customers who can pay in US dollars.
Long lines at gas stations have become a familiar sight in Havana, with drivers waiting hours for limited supplies. In the countryside, blackouts can last for most of the day.
The crisis has become a high-stakes test of endurance between Washington and Havana. Trump has argued that the Cuban government is economically fragile and that cutting off external support will hasten systemic change. His administration has framed the blockade as a strategy to weaken what it describes as an authoritarian regime.
Díaz-Canel, for his part, has signaled openness to dialogue with the United States, but not on the question of Cuba’s one-party political system. The government portrays the oil cutoff as economic warfare and is urging citizens to brace for hardship. This is not the first time Cuba has endured severe energy shortages. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the island entered what became known as the “Special Period,” marked by rationing, blackouts, and economic contraction. Yet even then, Cuba managed to secure some fuel imports. Today’s situation is arguably more precarious because external supply lines have been almost entirely severed.
For ordinary Cubans, the consequences are immediate and tangible. Refrigerators fail to keep food fresh during extended outages. Hospitals and clinics must rely on backup generators. Businesses close early or suspend operations altogether. Internet connectivity falters as cell towers lose power.
In Santiago de Cuba, once a vibrant port and industrial hub, neighborhoods that previously glowed at night now appear dim and silent. Holguín, a gateway for tourists heading to beach resorts, has also seen significant reductions in nighttime illumination. The energy shortage is not merely an inconvenience; it is a structural strain on a society already grappling with inflation, emigration, and declining living standards.
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