Cuba

Cuba's power grid collapsed Saturday leaving the country without electricity for a third time in March as the communist government battles with a decaying infrastructure and a US-imposed oil blockade. The Cuban Electric Union, which reports to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, announced a total blackout across the island without initially giving a cause for the outage. The union later said the blackout was caused by an unexpected failure of a generating unit at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camaguey province. "From that moment, a cascading effect occurred in the machines that were online," said a report from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, which activated "micro-islands" of generating units to provide power to vital centres, hospitals and water systems. Authorities said they were working to restore power. Power outages, whether nationwide or regional, have become relatively common in the last two years due to breakdowns in the aging infrastructure. The breakdowns are ...

The Cuban government has refused a request by the US Embassy in Havana to allow it to import diesel for its generators while the Trump administration continues to impose a fuel blockade on the island, according to two US officials familiar with the matter. The Cuban government turned down the request as the US State Department has been weighing a reduction in staffing at the embassy in Havana because of the lack of diesel. Such a move would likely lead to a US demand for a similar reduction in staffing at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, say the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The Cuban government rejection was first reported by The Washington Post. Cuba has struggled with dwindling oil since the US removed Venezuela's leader, halting critical petroleum shipments from the nation. President Donald Trump then threatened tariffs on any country selling or supplying Cuba with oil. The island is relying on its own natural gas, solar power a

The Cuban Communist Party has shown an astonishing resilience over six decades in power. Whether it's the United States trade embargo to counter Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, or the widespread starvation of the "special period" that followed the breakup of its Cold War patron, the Soviet Union, both US hostilities and calamities of its own making have proven no match for the country's leadership. But perhaps none of those crises pose as grave a threat as the one triggered by an all-but-declared naval siege by the Trump administration as it seeks to force regime change in the wake of its successful ousting of Cuba's longtime ally Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Even as he fights a war with Iran, President Donald Trump this week said he believes he'll have "the honor of taking Cuba" soon. While it wasn't clear exactly what he meant, the US is looking for President Miguel Diaz-Canel to leave power as part of ongoing talks with Havana that could avert some kind of US military ...

A mix of uncertainty, anger and hope simmered in Cuba on Wednesday following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump this week saying that Washington could take "imminent action" against the island's government. Trump, whose government has come at its Caribbean adversary more aggressively than any U.S. government in recent history, has effectively cut Cuba off from key oil shipments in an effort to force regime change. The blockade has had devastating effects on the civilians Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio say they want to help, leaving many desperate. Island-wide blackouts have roiled Cubans already grappling with years of crisis, and lack of gasoline and basic resources has crippled hospital and slashed public transport. Matilde Visoso, a single mother caring for a sick daughter, said she's been left reeling by the island's spiraling crisis, and wants change in the Caribbean nation. "Cuba is waiting for Trump and Marco Rubio, because we can't wait any longer. It's too m

President Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged imminent action against Cuba's socialist government as his moves against the island bring the U.S.' longtime opponent deeper into crisis. A day after Trump's sanctions on Venezuela, including a stop to vital oil exports to Cuba, contributed to Cuba's latest nationwide blackout, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said that the administration sees the island nation as the next country where the U.S. can expand its influence. "Cuba right now is in very bad shape," Trump said. "And we'll be doing something with Cuba very soon," he added. Until recently, Trump's comments on change in Cuba might have been considered remarkable. But they come after his administration's military raid that captured then-President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela and the launch of U.S. military strikes against Iran. The Trump administration is looking for President Miguel Diaz-Canel to leave as the U.S. continues negotiating with the Cuban government, accordin

The precariousness of the island of 10 million people was on full display earlier, when it suffered another national blackout, at least the sixth such outage in the span of a year

Cuba faces a deep power and fuel crisis as US pressure tightens; amid blackouts and talks with Havana, Trump has hinted at 'taking Cuba', raising questions over a Venezuela-style strategy

The United States has told Cuba that for meaningful progress to be made in negotiations, President Miguel Díaz-Canel must step down, said people familiar with the talks

The Ministry of Energy and Mines is investigating the cause, but said that there was no damage to the power plants operating at the time of the failure

Cuba restores its national power grid after a 16-hour blackout, blaming fuel shortages linked to the US oil blockade and an outage at the Antonio Guiteras power plant

President Donald Trump said Friday that the US is in talks with Havana and raised the possibility of a "friendly takeover of Cuba" without offering any details on what he meant. Speaking to reporters outside the White House as he left for a trip to Texas, Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in discussions with Cuban leaders "at a very high level." "The Cuban government is talking with us," the president said. "They have no money. They have no anything right now. But they're talking to us, and maybe we'll have a friendly takeover of Cuba." He added: "We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba." Trump didn't clarify his comments but seemed to indicate that the situation with Cuba, a communist-run island that has been among Washington's bitterest adversaries for decades, was coming to a critical point. The White House did not respond to requests for more information Friday. His remarks came two days after the Cuban government reported that a Florida-regist

Seven of 10 occupants were identified by name in a statement, which listed supplies on the boat that included assault rifles, Molotov cocktails, bullet-proof vests, telescopes and camouflage uniforms

Canada announced Monday that it is working on an aid package for Cuba as it faces blackouts and severe fuel shortages worsened by a US oil embargo. Foreign Minister Anita Anand declined to give details beyond that. "We are preparing a plan to assist. We are not prepared at this point to provide any details of the announcement," Anand said. Cuba is facing an increasingly dire energy crisis that has heightened in recent weeks after oil shipments from Venezuela, its main oil supplier, were halted when the US attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its leader. Mexico, another major supplier, then also suspended oil shipments under US pressure. Air Canada and other airlines have cancelled flights to the Caribbean island because of a shortage of aviation fuel on the island. Canadian tourism is vital to Cuba's economy. Global Affairs Canada, a governmental office, has said Canada is Cuba's second-largest source of direct investment to the island, particularly in

Cuba's Communications Minister Mayra Arevich Marin on Saturday said the AI Impact Summit 2026 has positioned India as a leading voice of the Global South in advancing a human-centric and equitable artificial intelligence framework. Addressing the IndiaCuba IT Forum launch here after attending the summit in New Delhi on February 19 and 20, Marin described the gathering as a defining moment in global technology governance. "The AI Impact Summit 2026 has positioned India at the forefront of a human-centric artificial intelligence movement for the Global South," Marin said. She added, "Artificial intelligence is extremely important for development, but we must reduce the risks associated with its use. It must be implemented responsibly and equitably," underlining the need for innovation and regulation to progress together. Marin said the summit - attended by leaders, ministers and policymakers - reflected an emerging consensus that AI development must be inclusive, risk-aware and socia

Pressure on Havana has been mounting since late last year, when US forces seized a ship carrying Venezuelan crude to Cuba

Washington's tariff threat against oil suppliers is squeezing Cuba's energy lifeline, grounding flights and forcing rationing measures as Havana seeks support from partners including Brics states

Air Canada said Monday it is suspending service to Cuba because of a shortage of aviation fuel on the island. Canada's largest airline said it took the decision after the Cuban government announced aviation fuel would not be available at Cuban airports as of Tuesday. Cuba has been facing a worsening energy crisis amid a US blockade of oil to the Caribbean nation. Canadian tourism is vital to Cuba's economy. Global Affairs Canada, a governmental office, has said Canada is Cuba's second-largest source of direct investment to the island, particularly in the mining and tourism sectors, which have never fully recovered from the pandemic slump. Air Canada said that in the coming days it will send empty flights southbound to pick up approximately 3,000 customers to bring them home. Air Transat and West Jet/Sunwing both say they intend to continue flights as planned despite the fuel announcement. Air Canada says its flight suspension begins Monday.

The communist government warned international airlines they can no longer refuel at its main airport in Havana for the next month after Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any nation that supplies Cuba

The US government on Thursday announced an additional USD 6 million in aid for Cuba as the island's crisis deepens and tensions escalate between the two countries, with Cuba's president accusing the US of an "energy blockade." The aid is largely meant for those living in Cuba's eastern region, which Hurricane Melissa slammed into late last year. The supplies include rice, beans, pasta, cans of tuna and solar lamps that will be delivered by the Catholic Church and Caritas, said US Department of State Senior Official Jeremy Lewin. He warned that officials with the US embassy in Cuba will be out in the field "making sure that the regime does not take the assistance, divert it, try to politicise it." The US previously sent USD 3 million in disaster relief to Cuban people affected by Melissa. Lewin rejected that a halt in oil shipments from Venezuela -- after the US attacked the South American country and arrested its then leader -- is responsible for the humanitarian situation in Cuba.

Even before the latest US assault on its economy, Cuba was trapped in a deep recession and an economic crisis that's led to sweeping power outages and shortages of basic goods