South Floridians Rush Aid to Cuba as Relatives Endure Just 2 Hours of Power
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 23
South Floridians Rush Aid to Cuba as Relatives Endure Just 2 Hours of Power
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 23
Miami-area Cuban Americans are sending more food, cash and basic supplies to relatives on the island as shortages, blackouts and extreme heat deepen.
Two hours of grid power a day in some homes has pushed families to ship flashlights, fans, mosquito nets and stronger solar generators alongside rice, beans and canned meat.
Off-the-books couriers known as mulas, Miami shipping firms and online delivery sites have become key channels for getting goods and U.S. dollars into Cuba.
The surge in private aid reflects Cuba's broader economic collapse under the U.S. oil blockade, with even anti-government exiles saying ordinary Cubans are bearing the cost.
As a U.S. blockade strangles Cuba, why are American exports to its private businesses quietly booming?
Can China's investment in solar power save Cuba from its catastrophic, island-wide blackouts?
With Russia and China sending aid, is Cuba becoming a new geopolitical flashpoint 90 miles from Florida?
Cuba in Crisis: Near-Total Blackouts, Humanitarian Emergency, and the Geopolitics of the 2026 Energy Collapse
Overview
Since early January 2026, Cuba has faced a severe energy crisis that plunged daily life into near-total darkness and disrupted essential services. This crisis devastated the formal economy, directly affecting ordinary citizens and forcing hotels to rely on costly, unreliable generators or shut down. Food processing and cold-storage facilities lost valuable inventory during prolonged outages, worsening food security. The resulting humanitarian challenge has impacted the well-being and stability of the population, fueling public discontent and accelerating emigration. The crisis highlights deep-rooted problems in Cuba’s infrastructure and economy, with no immediate solution in sight.