Cuban Protests Escalate With Power Grid Collapse Imminent
If part of the Trump Administration's grand plan was use their actions in Venezuela and the war in Iran to take down the communist regime in Cuba by collateral damage, it would seem they have been wildly successful. As Secretary of State Marco Rubio has specifically asserted in recent interviews, the western hemisphere belongs to the US. Allies of Russia and China are being systematically removed.
Through the communist Nicolas Maduro regime, Venezuela was the primary supplier of Cuban oil, a portion of which the Cuban government resold on the global market for a profit. This long term arrangement was the key financial support mechanism that kept the government in power. With Maduro captured and prices rising on international oil and fuel exports, Cuba is facing a dual crisis of resource shortages and a lack of funding to pay their police and military.
In turn, the populace which has been kept at bay by government forces is now on the verge of revolt. Meanwhile, Cuba is facing a collapse of their power grid, with blackouts running around 22 hours a day.
Cuba’s worsening power crisis is fueling growing unrest across the island as blackouts intensify and the Cuban government says it has run out of oil because of the U.S. blockade. The crisis is now sparking some of the largest protests seen around Havana, while many hospitals are suspending surgeries and dealing with severe medicine shortages.
“The situation is terrible,” said 50-year-old Cuban resident Maite Rodriguez. “There is nothing we can do about it; these are things that happen, and there is no solution in sight. I cannot tell you anything else because, believe me, this is very delicate. I cannot say more or tell you what I really think.”
Cubans lit fires in Havana’s streets to protest electricity blackouts that are blanketing parts of the country after oil reserves sent by Russia have run out. pic.twitter.com/kJfM3DdZbl
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 15, 2026
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was among a U.S. delegation that flew to Havana last week for meetings with Cuban officials. The United States has actively offered a $100 million humanitarian aid package to Cuba, aimed at supplying food, medicine, and internet access. The package comes with stipulations that it must be distributed by third party charities and not the government, and negotiations are required for changes to the regimes communist polices.
Cuban-Americans have expressed hope that the crisis will soon be resolved and that negotiations will lead to freedom for the Cuban people.