Islandwide blackout hits Cuba as it struggles with deepening energy crisis

HAVANA, March 17, (AP): Officials in Cuba reported an islandwide blackout Monday in the country of some 11 million people as its energy and economic crises deepen and its power grid continues to crumble. The Ministry of Energy and Mines on X noted a "complete disconnection” of the country’s electrical system and said it was investigating, noting there were no failures in the units that were operating when the grid collapsed.

Lázaro Guerra, the ministry's electricity director, told state media late Monday that crews were trying to restart several thermoelectric plants, which are key to restoring power. "It must be done gradually to avoid setbacks,” he said. "Because systems, when very weak, are more susceptible to failure.” As night fell, candles began to burn in some homes while the sounds of children playing and singing with their mother filled one dark house in Havana.

"We have to prepare a mattress for the girls here so that they can sleep here because we have no choice,” said Yuneici Cecilia Riviaux, as she motioned to an open door. "I don’t have a rechargeable fan or a generator.” It was the third major blackout in Cuba over the past four months. Tomás David Velázquez Felipe, a 61-year-old resident of Havana, said the relentless outages make him think that Cubans who can should just pack up and leave the island.

"What little we have to eat spoils,” he said. "Our people are too old to keep suffering.” By Monday night, state-owned media reported that crews had restored power to 5% of Havana's residents, representing some 42,000 customers, as well as several hospitals across the island. Officials said they would prioritize the communications sector next, all while warning that the small circuits restored so far could fail again.

Cuba’s aging grid has drastically eroded in recent years, leading to daily outages and an increase in islandwide blackouts. But the government also has blamed its woes on a US energy blockade after US President Donald Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The Trump administration is demanding that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions.

Trump also has raised the possibility of a "friendly takeover of Cuba." On Monday, he said he believes he’ll have the "honor of taking Cuba.” "I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it,” Trump said about Cuba, calling it a "very weakened nation.” The Trump administration is looking for Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to leave power as the United States continues to negotiate with the Cuban government about the island nation’s future, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of talks between Washington and Havana.