Cuba Faces Fuel Crisis as US Tightens Economic Noose

In the streets of Havana, Cubans queued for hours at gas stations, their faces etched with frustration and uncertainty, as the island nation grapples with its deepest economic crisis in decades, according to CNN.

The crisis is exacerbated by new punitive measures from the United States, aimed at strangling Cuba’s dwindling oil supplies. The situation is a stark reminder of the bitter, ongoing standoff between Washington and the communist government in Havana, one that is only intensifying under the leadership of President Donald Trump.

This latest fuel shortage comes in the wake of Trump’s executive order signed just days earlier, targeting nations and companies that supply oil to Cuba. 

The decision follows months of diplomatic pressure and signals a renewed U.S. effort to cripple the island's already fragile economy. The U.S. move has had immediate repercussions, long lines of Cubans waiting for gas are a familiar sight once more, a testament to the deepening challenges on the ground.

“This will affect ordinary Cubans sooner or later. That’s clearly the goal,” said Jorge Rodríguez, a 60-year-old IT worker, while standing in line for fuel. His words reflect a growing sense of helplessness among the people, who are already contending with severe daily power cuts of up to 20 hours and crippling shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods.

Cuba’s already dire economic situation has worsened after the U.S. placed severe sanctions on the country’s oil imports, leaving the island dependent on a few sources of oil. Following the downfall of Venezuela’s political leadership and the interruption of cheap oil deliveries from Caracas in January, Cuba has struggled to maintain its energy infrastructure, and the recent embargo has pushed it to the brink.

Trump’s decision to impose these sanctions targets nations such as Venezuela and Russia, which have long been Cuba’s allies. For Cuba, the situation is more than just a political conflict; it’s an existential threat to its sovereignty and survival.

Cuba has been caught in the crossfire of a broader geopolitical struggle. The island, long a symbol of defiance against U.S. imperialism, now faces its most severe economic and humanitarian crisis in over three decades. 

The Cuban government has denounced the U.S. actions as an act of "economic suffocation" and “genocidal.” Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused Washington of attempting to bring down the government by means of economic strangulation, exacerbating the suffering of ordinary citizens.

“The goal is clear: to destroy our economy and force us into submission,” Díaz-Canel said, referencing the recent executive order as part of a wider campaign by the U.S. to isolate Cuba globally.

The ramifications are profound. According to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Cuba only managed to produce half of the electricity it needs in 2025, highlighting the scale of the energy crisis. The nation is now on the verge of collapse, its energy grid increasingly unreliable, and its fuel reserves dwindling.

But the U.S. push is not limited to economic measures. Key figures within the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, have voiced their intent to see Cuba’s communist regime toppled. Their rhetoric reflects a broader ideological campaign aimed at weakening the Cuban state. 

“Cuba must either strike a deal soon or face grave consequences,” Trump warned. His assertion, “No oil, no money for Cuba: zero,” has added fuel to the fire, casting further doubt on any possibility of reconciliation between Washington and Havana.

The U.S. strategy has created a delicate dilemma for neighboring Mexico, one of the few countries still sending oil to Cuba. While Mexico has expressed solidarity with the Cuban people, President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that the new tariffs could provoke a “humanitarian crisis” with far-reaching consequences for the region.

“The consequences of these tariffs will not only affect Cuba’s hospitals and food supply but will have a direct impact on regional stability,” Sheinbaum stated in a press briefing last Friday. "We cannot afford to risk Mexico’s safety for the sake of unilateral U.S. measures."

Despite these concerns, Mexico’s state-run oil company, PEMEX, has already begun to scale back shipments to Cuba, citing pressure from the United States. Sources close to the company have hinted that an official suspension of oil exports could be imminent, heightening the crisis in Cuba.

On the global stage, Cuba’s traditional allies, Venezuela and China, have expressed vocal support for the Cuban people but have yet to announce concrete plans for relief. Venezuela, in particular, condemned the U.S. sanctions as a violation of international law, reiterating its support for Cuba’s sovereignty. Likewise, China criticized the U.S. actions as “inhumane” and warned that they would only escalate tensions in the region.

As the international community watches from the sidelines, Cuba’s vulnerability grows. With the Cuban government adamant in its refusal to negotiate with the U.S. under these conditions, it seems that the island will be forced to rely increasingly on its limited resources to fend off a humanitarian disaster.

“We are prepared to defend our homeland to the last drop of blood,” Díaz-Canel declared in a speech to the nation, underscoring the government's unwavering stance against foreign intervention.