Cuba’s government said Monday the island experienced a nationwide blackout after a “total disconnection” from the electricity grid. The Ministry of Energy and Mines said authorities are investigating the cause and have activated protocols to restore power.
The outage comes amid prolonged power shortages that Havana links to a sharp reduction in oil deliveries from Venezuela, historically the island’s main supplier. Cuban officials and observers say U.S. sanctions and broader political pressure on Venezuela have disrupted shipments; Mexico and Russia are among other countries that have provided fuel to Cuba. President Miguel Díaz‑Canel told state media the country had not received Venezuelan oil shipments for more than three months and is relying increasingly on solar, natural gas and thermoelectric plants.
Shortages have contributed to public frustration. Last Friday, protesters angered by repeated blackouts and rising food prices attacked a building belonging to the ruling Communist Party. Authorities have reported other demonstrations in recent weeks tied to service interruptions and economic strain.
Cuba has said it held talks with U.S. representatives about the energy and broader economic situation. Shortly after those discussions began, Deputy Prime Minister Óscar Pérez‑Oliva Fraga told NBC News the government plans to open the door to investment and property ownership by Cubans living abroad, including those in the United States.
President Donald Trump has publicly pressured countries that trade with Cuba and has suggested that further U.S. measures could be possible; speaking to reporters on Air Force One, he said Cuba “wants to make a deal, and I think we will pretty soon either make a deal or do whatever we have to do.”
Cuban authorities say work is underway to reconnect the grid and to determine what caused the disconnection. Officials have not yet released a timetable for full restoration.