The Cuban Ministry of Energy announced a nationwide blackout on Saturday evening, March 21, affecting over 10 million residents. The blackout occurred at 6:32 PM local time, with the ministry stating that protocols for restoring the national power grid were activated.
This incident marks the second major blackout in just a few days, following a similar event on March 16. Since then, the electrical system has struggled to stabilize, leading to widespread outages across the island.
Prior to the blackout, the state energy company had projected a deficit of 1.7 megawatts during peak hours on Saturday evening. The ongoing energy crisis in Cuba has been exacerbated by reduced fuel supplies from Venezuela, which have been impacted by U.S. sanctions imposed earlier this year.
In January, the U.S. ramped up pressure on Cuba amid efforts to unseat Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, contributing to what many consider the most severe economic crisis on the island since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Cuba has historically relied on Venezuela for fuel imports, and the current situation has strained its energy resources further.
U.S. President Donald Trump previously indicated that Cuba was on the brink of collapse, suggesting that the U.S. could exert significant influence over the island’s affairs. He stated that discussions regarding Cuba were ongoing and that U.S. intervention in Venezuela would likely increase pressure on the Cuban government.
Cuba has experienced a nationwide blackout affecting over 10 million people, marking the second such incident in a week. The ongoing energy crisis is linked to reduced fuel supplies from Venezuela amid U.S. sanctions.
Source: CNN