Cuba's Third March Power Grid Collapse

Cuba experienced its third nationwide power grid collapse in March, leaving the country without electricity. The state-owned Cuba — Unión Nacional Eléctrica de Cuba and the Cuba — Ministry of Energy and Mines (Cuba) reported that the blackout was caused by an unexpected failure at the Nuevitas Thermoelectric Plant, leading to a cascading effect. President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that Cuba has not received oil from foreign suppliers for three months, producing only 40% of its fuel needs. The Cuban government attributes the crisis to decaying infrastructure and a U.S. energy blockade, initiated by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned of tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba and even suggested a 'friendly takeover' of Cuba. The situation is further complicated by the disruption of petroleum shipments from Venezuela, a former steadfast ally. These blackouts severely impact the Cuban population, disrupting work, cooking, and causing food spoilage, with hospitals even canceling surgeries.