Cuba experienced its second nationwide blackout in less than a week on Friday, according to the state-owned utility Union Electrica de Cuba. The outage began at 4:30 PM local time (20:30 GMT), plunging the island into darkness shortly before evening.
Key Details
This blackout follows a similar outage earlier in the week and brings the total number of island-wide blackouts to four since January. The country has faced ongoing electricity issues, attributed to an aging infrastructure that dates back to the Cold War era. The situation has worsened since January when U.S. President Donald Trump effectively severed Cuba's supply of foreign oil, exacerbating the already strained power grid.
Cuba, which has been under a U.S. trade embargo since the 1960s, has seen its energy crisis deepen as the Trump administration has intensified efforts to isolate the communist-led government. Critics have accused the Cuban government of human rights abuses and mismanagement of resources, which have contributed to the current crisis.
Background
The recent blackouts are part of a broader pattern of power outages that have plagued the island, with two other total blackouts occurring in March. The government has not provided specific explanations for the outages, which have become increasingly common in recent months.
Related coverage: Cuba Faces Second Nationwide Blackout in Five Days.
The ongoing energy crisis in Cuba could lead to increased volatility in sectors reliant on stable power supply, including telecommunications and manufacturing. Investors will watch for potential government responses to mitigate the situation and any implications for foreign investment in the region.