Cuba’s entire electricity network collapsed on Monday afternoon, leaving millions of residents without power across the island.
Officials confirmed that the national grid had suffered a “full disconnection”, triggering a nationwide blackout affecting a country of around 10 to 11 million people.
The blackout came after Donald Trump issued threats against Cuba during an executive-order signing ceremony, calling it a “failed state”.
Mr Trump also claimed he had the right to do “anything” with the island, saying he could “take” it and would likely have the “honour” of doing so.
When questioned by a reporter afterwards, he confirmed his intention to “take Cuba”.
The announcement was made by the Cuban energy ministry, with authorities now investigating the cause while beginning restoration procedures.
The collapse marks one of the most severe power failures to hit the Caribbean nation in recent years.
It also came during an escalating energy crisis that has already forced many Cubans to endure regular power cuts lasting hours or even days.
The crisis has intensified pressure on Miguel Díaz-Canel, which is grappling with fuel shortages and a deteriorating power infrastructure.
Nationwide blackout hits island of 11 million amid deepening fuel shortages and energy crisis
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Cuba’s electricity system has been under strain for months due to a combination of ageing power plants, limited maintenance capacity and restricted access to fuel imports.
Energy shortages have worsened after the United States tightened pressure on the island’s fuel supplies, leaving the country struggling to secure oil deliveries.
The collapse of the grid follows weeks of widespread outages and comes as the country experiences mounting economic and humanitarian difficulties.
Hospitals and other essential services have already been affected by ongoing energy shortages.
The lack of electricity has disrupted medical services, water systems and food production across parts of the country.
Fuel shortages have also hit the aviation sector, forcing airlines to suspend some flights after Cuban airports warned they could no longer guarantee supplies of jet fuel.
Tourism, one of the country’s most important sources of foreign currency, has been heavily affected by the crisis.
The energy shortages have also caused disruptions to food distribution, public transport and waste collection.
Long queues have formed at petrol stations as motorists search for limited supplies of fuel.
Public frustration has grown as the situation has worsened.
Recent weeks have seen protests in several parts of the country linked to electricity shortages and rising living costs
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The Cuban Government has said it is attempting to stabilise the energy system by restoring small local power circuits before reconnecting them to the wider grid.
Engineers are working to bring generating plants and backup systems online in stages as part of the restoration process.
The blackout is the latest in a series of nationwide outages that have struck the island since 2024, reflecting long-standing weaknesses in the country’s energy infrastructure and dependence on imported fuel.
Authorities have not yet provided a timeline for when electricity will be fully restored across the country.