Cuba’s energy crisis has been worsening without access to Venezuelan oil, as the island has faced regular power cuts. Since the U.S. intervention in Venezuela in January, President Trump has largely taken control of the South American country’s oil industry, restricting vital supplies of crude to Cuba, which the Caribbean country relied heavily on for its power.
As Cuba faces severe energy shortages, leading to country-wide blackouts, the Trump administration is working with authorities to come to an agreement to let some Venezuelan fuel back in.
Cuba’s Energy Crisis
Cuba’s energy crisis has been worsening over the last decade, leading the country to become heavily dependent on oil imports from Venezuela for its electricity. Due to years of underinvestment in the country’s transmission network, much of the island has come to experience regular power outages, leading residents to rely heavily on charcoal stoves and rechargeable batteries, which many can scarcely afford.
Widespread power cuts started in Cuba in 2019, when the first Trump administration introduced “maximum-pressure sanctions” on the country, thereby putting greater strain on its economy. The government was forced to reduce spending on energy imports and, instead, ration fuel.
In March 2025, Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed, leaving most of the country without power. While some tourist hotels relied on generators, many had no access to power. This led to mass protests and calls for the government to address the crisis.
In recent years, Venezuela has become one of Cuba’s main oil suppliers, despite its dwindling oil production. Venezuela shipped around 26,500 barrels per day of crude to Cuba in 2025, enough to cover roughly half of the country’s oil deficit, according to ship tracking data and internal documents of state-run PDVSA.
However, since the U.S. intervention in Venezuela, there have been no Venezuelan shipments of crude to Cuba, as President Trump implemented a U.S. energy blockade on Cuba, threatening tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. Trump has since warned Cuba that it should sign an agreement with Washington to ensure it continues to receive much-needed oil from Venezuela.
Total Blackouts
On March 16, officials in Cuba reported an islandwide blackout, as around 11 million people were plunged into darkness. The Ministry of Energy and Mines shared news on the X social media site of a “complete disconnection” of the country’s electrical system.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s electricity director, Lázaro Guerra, said that crews were working to bring several thermoelectric plants back online. “It must be done gradually to avoid setbacks,” he said. “Because systems, when very weak, are more susceptible to failure.”
By March 18, the power had returned to most parts of Havana, while other areas of the island continued to wait for electricity to return. Meanwhile, the widespread blackout made the country’s severe energy vulnerabilities clear.
Making a Deal
In late February, after almost two months of energy blockade, the Trump administration began to let U.S. companies send fuel to private businesses in Cuba. In addition, businesses were permitted to apply for licenses to sell Venezuelan oil to nongovernment entities in Cuba, such as humanitarian organizations and small businesses. The move appears to be aimed at supporting Cuba’s private sector while circumventing the country’s Communist government.
Trump has put increasing pressure on the Cuban government to come to an agreement with the U.S. to alleviate the country’s economic and energy crises. The president has even raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover of Cuba”, before adding that “it may not be a friendly takeover”. In March, Trump stated, “I do believe I’ll be… having the honor of taking Cuba. That’s a big honor. Taking Cuba in some form.” Trump said, “I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it,” adding that Cuba is a “very weakened nation.”
Talks between Cuba and the U.S. commenced in mid-March, with the aim of easing the energy crisis and beginning on the road to economic recovery. Several media reports suggest that President Trump aims to remove Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from office as part of any agreement between the U.S. and Cuba. Meanwhile, resident Diaz-Canel stated in a video aired on state television, “These talks have been aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences we have between the two nations.”
Diaz-Canel also said that Cuba’s participation in the talks was “on the basis of equality and respect for the political systems of both states, and for the sovereignty and self-determination of our governments.”
In response to the regular blackouts, Cubans have taken to the streets of Havana to protest the ongoing energy crisis and to call for an agreement with the U.S. to alleviate the ongoing crisis. However, achieving a favorable agreement between the two countries will be no easy feat.
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