Cuba has run out of diesel and fuel oil, energy minister says
Cuba's energy and mines minister Vicente de la O Levy said the island has effectively run out of diesel and fuel oil. Half the country has been left without power for hours, and the government is scrambling to finance new imports.
Cuba's energy and mines minister, Vicente de la O Levy, said on state television that the island has effectively run out of diesel and fuel oil. The BBC reports that around half the country is facing prolonged power cuts, with hospitals and bakeries running on generators.
The island has long struggled to import fuel because of a deteriorating balance of payments and acute shortages of hard currency. Shipments from Venezuela dropped last year, while Russian tankers have been delayed. Officials cite United States sanctions, while economists also point to structural domestic shortages.
Discontent is rising amid the darkness and summer heat. The government says new tankers are expected in the coming days, but distribution schedules will remain limited until generation recovers. Tourism operators are watching closely as the season ramps up.
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