On the very same day that Trump made his comments, much of Cuba experienced a catastrophic national blackout as the power infrastructure reached a point of darkness showing just how close the infrastructure had come to collapsing as a result of these continued energy shortages.
Escalation of Energy Shortages in Cuba
The electrical energy infrastructure of Cuba has been in a crisis for years, however, due to the extremely short supply of fuel to generate electricity, the energy crisis in the country has worsened over the last few months. The people of Cuba have relied heavily on imported crude oil to produce electricity, and with disruptions to the fuel supply caused by the US, it has resulted in Cubans living in darkness for a considerable period of time.
As of this moment, the current power outages affecting the people of Cuba do not seem to be the result of any technical issues with the power grid itself, but the latest blackout appears to have been an indirect result of the failure of the power generators to work properly due to the lack of fuel. Fuel shortages have driven up the cost of Gasoline to such an extent that most Cubans can no longer afford to buy gasoline.
Sections of Havana have been dark every night, and Cubans have lost access to just about all basic services. Hospitals have significantly cut back on the number of services they can provide due to a lack of fuel; bus service, refuse collection and many other services have been severely reduced also as a result of the lack of fuel.
Effects of U.S. Pressure and Oil Supply
The crisis in Cuba has been made worse by the actions of the US, which essentially have made it impossible for oil to be shipped to Cuba. At the same time, the supplies of crude oil from Venezuela, which provide the majority of the country's energy needs, have also been drastically reduced.
Cuban politicians have publicly condemned the actions of the US and have charge that the actions taken by the US have exacerbated the energy crisis and caused further hardships for ordinary Cubans. Cuban President, Miguel Diaz Canel, stated that the impact on the energy sector of the country has increased the anxiety of the Cuban people even higher than it already was.
Trump's Confusing Comments
While speaking in the Oval Office this past Monday, Donald Trump stated that the US could "possibly take control" of Cuba; however, he never explained how the United States would do so, whether it would be through military action or something else.
Trump's comments come at a time when the Cuban economy is already suffering due to the oil embargo; in addition, there is little or no tourism from the US and medical supplies are in extremely short supply; and the country has suffered from loss of internet access for the majority of Cubans because of the power outage.
Cuba's airports have been impacted due to the lack of fuel; very few commercial airlines are currently flying to Cuba because of the limited availability of aviation fuel and the high operational risk.
Cuban Lives in Crisis
Cuba has begun taking emergency measures to reduce the school day and postpone public events, as well as introducing stricter fuel rations. Many Cubans have sought alternative sources of power (woodstoves, solar power) to cope with the current energy shortage.
Cubans are growing increasingly frustrated, as they have staged protests in various locations as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction about energy availability and food supply.
As the situation in Cuba continues, there appears to be no clear timeline for when power will be restored to normal levels and if diplomatic discussions between the US and Cuba will yield any results. Until then, millions of Cubans are attempting to survive without electricity and are doing so in a rapidly degrading economy.
