Cubans Endure 20-Hour Blackouts as US Fuel Blockade Deepens Pressure Over 1996 Charges
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 22
Cubans Endure 20-Hour Blackouts as US Fuel Blockade Deepens Pressure Over 1996 Charges
9 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 22
20-hour blackouts and severe fuel shortages are disrupting daily life across Cuba, leaving many residents cut off as Washington escalates pressure tied to murder charges against former president Raúl Castro.
A near-total US fuel blockade has hit transport, water pumping and electricity supply, with the Trump administration also demanding political and economic changes and openly discussing regime change.
Havana residents say the outages are trapping elderly people in high-rises, stranding lift users, and forcing neighbors to carry water up dark stairwells; one building superintendent said more than 100 residents are affected.
Cuba's government has dismissed the 1996 shootdown case as politically motivated, while state workers are set to march in support of Castro and some residents voice fears that legal pressure could precede US military action.
The strain is also reshaping housing policy, with Havana converting about 40 shipping containers into homes as the island tries to manage an acute housing crisis under worsening energy shortages.
With a warrant out for Raúl Castro, is the US preparing another Venezuela-style intervention in Cuba?
Thirty years after the shootdown, can a US murder charge bring justice or just deepen a decades-old conflict?
As of May 2026, Cuba faces a severe energy and humanitarian crisis, with daily life disrupted by fuel shortages and widespread blackouts. The situation has worsened since January 2026, after President Donald Trump launched a U.S.-led fuel blockade aimed at ousting Cuba's communist government. This blockade threatened tariffs on any country supplying fuel to Cuba, causing former key suppliers to stop shipments. As a result, Cuba’s energy infrastructure is overwhelmed, leading to prolonged blackouts and public protests. The crisis highlights the deep impact of international political maneuvers on the everyday lives of Cubans.