Garbage is piling up on the street corners of Havana. The city has 106 collection trucks, but only 44 are running. The rest sit idle because there is no fuel. The US fuel blockade that began in February 2026 has now passed four months, and blackouts have become part of the daily scenery. Infant mortality has climbed to 9.9 per 1,000. Behind these numbers, ordinary life is being worn away day by day.
A Supply Cut That Began With Venezuela's Upheaval
It started in January. The US carried out a military operation in Venezuela and detained President Maduro. Venezuela had been Cuba's main oil supplier, but the chaos of the change in power cut off that flow. From February, the US began a direct blockade of tankers bound for Cuba. Supply routes, including those through Mexico's state oil company Pemex, were severed one after another, and countries that resisted were warned they would face tariffs. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced concern over Cuba's economic crisis back in February, yet the blockade has not stopped.
Food Production Down 60%, Medicine at 30% of Normal
The numbers tell the story of a collapsing life. Food production has fallen by 60 percent, and only about 30 percent of the normal supply of medicine can be obtained. The survival rate for childhood cancer has dropped from 85 percent to 65 percent. The power company can supply only a few hours of electricity a day. Gas stations have stood empty for months.
Tourism could not hold on either. Spanish hotel groups Iberostar and Melia each gave up management of more than a dozen hotels, and Canada's Royalton has pulled out of Cuba. The economy of an island that sold itself on resorts is crumbling from its foundation.
Small Protests Begin to Spread
In June, protests broke out around Havana as residents spoke out against the worsening humanitarian situation. The gatherings have been small and quickly dispersed by authorities, but ACLED, which tracks armed conflict, flagged Cuba in its June monthly report as a situation to watch. The Diaz-Canel government repeats that the blockade is to blame, while at home, criticism of the government's own economic management is also growing.
The Trump Administration's Goal of Regime Change This Year
The Trump administration has openly stated its goal of achieving regime change in Cuba within 2026. Diplomatic pressure, economic blockade, and the shutdown of tourism form a three-way squeeze. Brazil's President Lula condemned the blockade and called for humanitarian aid to Cuba, but Washington's course has not shifted. As the international debate over whether a blockade is a legitimate tool drags on, Havana's blackouts and empty gas stations remain exactly as they are.
When people in a city without power or fuel begin to raise their voices, whether you call it a result or a failure depends entirely on where you stand.
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References
- 2026 Cuban crisis – Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org
- 'We've Been Four Days Without Light': Cubans Describe Suffering After Four-Month US Oil Blockade – Common Dreams — commondreams.org
- Concerns over Cuba's deepening economic crisis – OHCHR — ohchr.org
- Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: June 2026 – ACLED — acleddata.com
- Is Cuba next? – Lowy Institute — lowyinstitute.org
※ This article is the author’s commentary based on public information. Please confirm the latest figures, dates and procedures with governments and primary sources. Quotations are kept minimal and sources are cited.