Nationwide Power Outage in Cuba Leaves Millions in Darkness

On Monday, Cuba experienced an unprecedented power outage that affected its entire power grid, leaving about 10 million residents in the dark.

The U.S. Embassy in Cuba reported that at 1:54 p.m. local time, the national power grid failed, resulting in a total blackout throughout the country, including the Havana metropolitan area.

This nationwide failure occurred just two days after frustrated citizens, upset over the ongoing energy crisis, were seen storming the local Communist Party headquarters. They reportedly looted the building and attempted to set it ablaze.

Efforts to restore power are currently underway, with some areas gradually regaining electricity.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines in Cuba stated that they are investigating the cause of the blackout and activating recovery protocols.

Cuba’s power grid has been increasingly unstable over the years due to aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and economic restrictions. Notably, a long-standing oil embargo by the U.S. and recent disruptions to fuel shipments from Venezuela have exacerbated the crisis.

Frequent power outages have disrupted water supplies, refrigeration, and communications throughout the country.

Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos F. de Cossio remarked, “I’m sure U.S. government officials are very happy that all Cuban families have been affected,” in response to the blackout.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel indicated that the country has faced a lack of fuel for the last three months, significantly increasing reliance on renewable energy sources.

This latest collapse of the power grid coincides with an update regarding the Villa Clara solar panel project, which officials advocate as a “national security necessity” due to restrictions on fossil fuel imports under the previous U.S. administration.

The Villa Clara electricity company released a statement emphasizing that the transition to renewable energy is critical in light of the ongoing energy constraints and economic blockades.

As rolling blackouts persist, residents are advised to prepare for continued disruptions by unplugging non-essential devices and limiting electricity use to essential equipment until services stabilize.

Last Saturday, widespread public dissent fueled by ongoing power outages resulted in protests targeting Communist Party offices. These demonstrations began peacefully but escalated into violence, with protesters reportedly chanting for freedom and igniting a fire at the site.

The rally in the city of Moron transformed from a peaceful gathering into chaos within hours, as captured by video footage.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for more information.