Cuba don completely run out of diesel and fuel oil, according to the country’s Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy. For an interview with state-run media, de la O Levy talk say limited amounts of gas dey, but the energy system don reach critical state as US blockade dey squeeze supply.
Scattered protests against power cuts break out for capital Havana on Wednesday, Reuters report. The US this week repeat their offer to send $100m (about £74m) in aid to the country, but dem say Cuba must do meaningful reforms to their communist system first.
De la O Levy explain: “The sum of the different types of fuel: crude oil, fuel oil, of which we have absolutely none; diesel, of which we have absolutely none – I am being repetitive – the only thing we have is gas from our wells, where production has grown.”
Under the US blockade, parts of Havana don experience 20 to 22-hour blackout periods, he continue. He also acknowledge say the situation for the country don be extremely tense.
Hospitals no fit function normally, while schools and government offices don force to close. Tourism, wey be economic engine for Cuba, don also suffer.
Cuba normally rely on Venezuela and Mexico to supply oil to their refinery system. But the two countries don largely cut off supplies since US President Donald Trump threaten tariffs on countries wey send fuel to Cuba.
As the island continue to grapple with these energy shortages, rare protests erupt for Havana on Wednesday evening. Hundreds of Cubans take to the streets across the city, blocking roads with burning rubbish and shouting anti-government slogans.
Reuters report say this one be the biggest single night of demonstrations for the city since Cuba’s energy crisis begin for January. Residents of the San Miguel del Padron neighbourhood dey shout “turn on the lights!” AFP news agency report.
Taking to social media on Wednesday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel blame the US for the energy shortages as he acknowledge the “particularly tense” situation across the island. He write: “This dramatic worsening has a single cause: the genocidal energy blockade to which the United States subjects our country, threatening irrational tariffs against any nation that supplies us with fuel.”
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio say Havana reject a US offer of humanitarian aid worth $100m (£74m), a claim Cuba deny. The US State Department repeat their offer on Wednesday, saying the humanitarian assistance go distribute in coordination with the Catholic Church and “reliable” humanitarian organisations. Dem continue: “The decision rests with the Cuban regime to accept our offer of assistance or deny critical living-saving aid and ultimately be accountable to the Cuban people for standing in the way of critical assistance.”
Washington’s blockade on the country ramp up for early May when the US target senior Cuban officials for a wave of sanctions, accusing dem of committing “human rights abuses”. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez call the sanctions “illegal and abusive”.
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