Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said the island has run out of diesel and fuel oil on Thursday.

The shortage has triggered widespread blackouts in Havana and other major cities, threatening the stability of the nation's power grid and transport infrastructure.

Levy said that the country currently has no fuel reserves. While some reports indicate that Cuba still possesses gas from its own wells [4], the minister described the energy landscape as critical. "We have absolutely no fuel and absolutely no diesel," Levy said [3].

The minister attributed the crisis to a U.S.-led oil blockade and the depletion of Russian oil supplies [1, 5]. The loss of these primary energy streams has left the government searching for new partners to stabilize the grid. "Cuba is open to anyone that wants to sell us fuel," Levy said [1].

Local reports describe a tense atmosphere as the energy deficit impacts daily life. The lack of fuel for generators and transport has crippled essential services in urban centers. "The situation in Cuba is extremely tense," Levy said [2].

The government has not specified the exact volume of the deficit, but the exhaustion of diesel—which typically powers the island's electricity plants—means the country is unable to maintain a consistent power supply for its citizens.

“"We have absolutely no fuel and absolutely no diesel."”

The collapse of fuel reserves highlights Cuba's precarious dependence on geopolitical allies and its vulnerability to international sanctions. By citing both the U.S. blockade and the failure of Russian supplies, the Cuban government acknowledges a systemic failure in its energy procurement strategy that leaves the domestic economy susceptible to total paralysis.