Cuba Restores Power Grid After Latest Blackout

Two-thirds of Havana had power again in the afternoon, the capital's electricity company said, a day after the energy ministry reported a "total disconnection" of the national electric system in the country of 9.6 million people.

Authorities cautioned, however, that demand would still exceed supply.

The outage comes as Cuba's communist government has faced growing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who imposed the de facto oil blockade in January.

There have been seven nationwide blackouts since 2024, making life more difficult for Cubans who fear food will spoil in refrigerators, among other problems in a country in economic crisis.

Regular outages, as well as persistent shortages of food, medicine and other basics, are fueling public frustration, with people banging pots at night as a form of protest.

In a rare moment of violence, demonstrators vandalized a provincial office of the Cuban Communist Party last weekend.

The breakdowns have intensified since Cuba's main regional ally and oil supplier, Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolas Maduro, was captured in a U.S. military operation in January.

Trump subsequently threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba.

No oil has arrived since Jan. 9, hitting the power sector, while public transport has dwindled and airlines have curtailed flights to the island, a blow to its all-important tourism business.