- Cuba facing deepening crisis amid energy embargo
- Daily power outages surpass 24 hours
- US policy of economic strangulation amounted to more than $8bn
- US Embassy issued two public health alerts
- Small protests have erupted despite fear of detention
Cuba is facing a deepening crisis with sweltering nights, water and power shortages, dwindling fuel and crumbling homes pushing many to their breaking point on this island of nearly 10m people. The psychological toll of daily life is intensifying as a US energy embargo persists and longtime economic and financial troubles deepen. Dr Yomeidis Felicó Riverón, a primary care physician, has embraced an additional role as Cubans grind through their days with patients coming to cry about their troubles because they have no one else to vent to.
Cuba’s crises worsened after US President Donald Trump revealed in late January that he would impose tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to the Caribbean country. Longtime US sanctions also have taken their toll according to Cuba’s government. From March 2025 to the end of February the US policy of economic strangulation amounted to more than $8bn (€6.82bn) according to Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodríguez. Island-wide blackouts have increased this year and daily outages now surpass 24 hours.
As a result water is often scarce and small protests have erupted despite the fear of being detained as anger and frustration boil over. The situation has worsened to a point that the US Embassy recently issued two public health alerts. On 28 August the embassy noted that Cuba’s water supply infrastructure is increasingly unstable and that there are residential neighbourhoods experiencing long periods without water from municipal or public sources. The embassy also warned of an increase in gastrointestinal illnesses linked to the degradation of the water and energy infrastructure.
