"We no longer have any oil or diesel", the Cuban Ministry of Energy said. Power outages reach 22 hours a day and have become a cause for mass protests.
Cuba's fuel reserves have been completely exhausted, said Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy. As summarized by the world media, against the backdrop of blocked oil supplies by the United States, the island country has faced the largest power outages in decades.
"We no longer have any oil or diesel", said De la O Levy. According to the minister, the national energy system is in a critical state. "We have no reserves", he admitted.
This week, the frequency of power outages in the country has increased sharply, and their duration in Havana and neighboring areas has reached 20-22 hours a day. The situation is being complicated by the shortage of food and medicine in the Cuban capital.
The US blockade of oil supplies to Cuba
Currently, Cuba's energy system operates only with its own oil, natural gas and renewable energy sources, De la O Levy pointed out. Despite the US blockade, Cuba continues negotiations on fuel imports, but these efforts are being complicated by the surge in oil prices on the world market, caused by the US and Israel's war against Iran, the minister added.
His ministry reported that in two years, solar panels were installed in the country, allowing it to provide 1,300 megawatts of electricity. But most of this power is lost due to the instability of the energy system in conditions of fuel shortages.
According to De la O Levy, Cuba has not received fuel since December. Until recently, one of the main suppliers of oil to the country was Venezuela. But after the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro by the US military, Caracas stopped supplies. In January, US President Donald Trump threatened with tariffs any country willing to supply fuel to Cuba.
However, the Russian newspaper "Kommersant" recalls that Washington did not prevent the supply of Russian oil to the country: the tanker "Anatoly Kolodkin" with 100,000 tons of crude oil on board arrived in Cuba on March 30. But this amount only reached the end of April. "We are open to anyone who wants to sell us fuel", stressed Vicente de la O Levy.
Protests over prolonged power outages in Havana
Amid the constant power outages, protests took place in Havana. Hundreds of angry people blocked neighborhoods further from the center with piles of burning garbage, "Reuters" reports. People chanted "Turn on the electricity!" and "The United People will never be defeated!". The agency estimates that the largest protest action since the beginning of the current energy crisis took place in Havana last night.
Last week, the UN declared the US blockade of oil supplies to Cuba illegal, stressing that this measure violates "the right of the Cuban people to development, undermining their right to food, education, healthcare, water supply and decent sanitation".