Cuba suffers its second total power blackout in under a week as its crippled grid buckles under a US oil blockade, deepening a national crisis.
HAVANA: Cuba was hit by a second nationwide blackout in less than a week on Saturday, plunging the island into darkness as its ageing electricity grid struggles under a US oil blockade.
The energy ministry announced a “total disconnection” of the national electricity system had occurred. It stated work had begun to restore power after buildings in Havana began losing electricity shortly before 6:30pm local time.
The blackout occurred just five days after a previous total outage and as an international aid convoy began arriving in Havana with medical supplies, food, water and solar panels. Cuba’s dilapidated generation system is in shambles, with daily power outages of up to 20 hours already the norm in parts of the country.
The island lacks the fuel needed to generate power following a de facto US oil blockade maintained by President Donald Trump. No oil has been imported to Cuba since January 9, crippling the power sector and forcing airlines to curtail flights in a blow to vital tourism.
The crisis in the country of 9.6 million people comes as Trump has made no secret of his desire to see regime change. “I do believe I’ll be…having the honor of taking Cuba,” Trump said, adding he could “do anything” with the “very weakened nation.”
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned that “any external aggressor will encounter an unbreakable resistance.” Deputy chief of mission Tanieris Dieguez said Havana was open to broad talks with Washington and allowing more investment, but stated Cuba’s political system would “never” be part of negotiations.
The outages and regular shortages of basics are spurring public frustrations, with demonstrators vandalising a provincial office of the Cuban Communist Party last weekend. Maritime trackers reported two tankers carrying Russian oil and diesel appeared to be heading to the fuel-starved island, but their status remains unclear.
The Sun Malaysia
