Cuba’s Third Islandwide Blackout in Four Months Spurs Trump and Rubio Calls for Political Change
Cuba suffered its third island‑wide blackout in four months on March 16, when the Ministry of Energy and Mines reported a "complete disconnection" of the national grid that left the roughly 11 million‑person island without power, forced the postponement of tens of thousands of surgeries and prompted investigations as crews restored limited service to hospitals and parts of Havana. Cuban officials blamed halted Venezuelan oil shipments and U.S. restrictions, opened talks with Washington and floated concessions such as allowing investment by Cubans abroad, while President Trump and Senator Marco Rubio escalated pressure for political change — with Trump publicly suggesting a "friendly takeover" and U.S. officials reportedly seeking President Miguel Díaz‑Canel’s departure as part of negotiations.
📌 Key Facts
- On March 16, 2026 Cuba experienced an island‑wide blackout: the Ministry of Energy and Mines reported a 'complete disconnection' of the national electrical system that affected the country’s roughly 11 million people (the U.S. Embassy said the grid disconnected at 1:54 p.m. local time).
- This was the third major nationwide blackout in four months, following a massive outage just over a week earlier; repeated failures have caused food spoilage, constant outages and prompted some residents to consider leaving the island.
- President Miguel Díaz‑Canel said Cuba has not received imported oil for more than three months, is operating on solar, natural gas and thermoelectric plants, and has postponed 'tens of thousands' of surgeries because of fuel and electricity shortfalls.
- Cuban officials and state sources linked the energy collapse to halted Venezuelan oil shipments after U.S. military action and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, and to U.S. energy restrictions and the long‑standing U.S. embargo; Cuban diplomats publicly blamed U.S. officials for harm to families.
- Restoration efforts were underway: crews were gradually restarting thermoelectric plants and by Monday night about 5% of Havana (roughly 42,000 customers) and several hospitals had power restored; the Energy and Mines Ministry said causes are under investigation and restoration protocols activated.
- The blackout and economic collapse have become entwined with U.S.–Cuba diplomacy: the U.S. administration has pressed for political concessions (release of political prisoners, liberalization) and sources say it is negotiating for President Díaz‑Canel’s departure as part of talks over easing energy restrictions.
- President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (as reported) have intensified pressure and rhetoric — Trump publicly suggested a 'friendly takeover' and said he would have the 'honor of taking Cuba' and that 'we'll be doing something with Cuba very soon,' while Rubio called for dramatic political and economic change and the release of political prisoners in exchange for lifting sanctions.
- As part of concessions tied to negotiations, Cuban officials announced measures including allowing Cuban nationals living abroad and their descendants to invest in and own companies on the island and the planned release of 51 prisoners from the 2021 protest wave.
📊 Relevant Data
As of February 2026, there are 1,214 political prisoners in Cuba, according to the nonprofit Prisoners Defenders.
Cuba will release 51 people from prison in an unexpected move — NPR
Before the US intervention in Venezuela in 2026, Venezuela supplied as much as 50 percent of Cuba's oil needs.
Trump U-turn: Is Venezuelan oil really available to Cuba again? — Al Jazeera
Cuba's population declined by more than 13 percent from 2015 to 2024, largely due to emigration driven by the economic crisis.
Seven Charts on Cuba's Economic Woes — AS/COA
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
Why Is the DSA Making Friends with Communist Cuba?
"A critical City Journal commentary arguing that the DSA’s outreach to or defense of Cuba is hypocritical and dangerous given the island’s recent blackouts, repression, and governance failures, and that left‑wing anti‑imperialist posturing should not excuse normalizing an authoritarian regime."
📰 Source Timeline (9)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 17, 2026
7:03 PM
Rubio calls for new Cuban leaders as blackout underscores economic crisis
New information:
- President Trump said on March 17, 2026 that 'we'll be doing something with Cuba very soon' and again floated the idea of a 'friendly takeover of Cuba,' explicitly tying this posture to the country’s economic crisis and repeated blackouts.
- A U.S. official and a source familiar with U.S.–Cuba talks say the Trump administration is looking for Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel to leave as part of negotiations, although they did not specify who Washington wants to see in power.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly stated that Cuba 'has an economy that doesn't work in a political and governmental system,' argued that announced reforms allowing more trade with U.S. companies are not 'dramatic enough,' and said Cuba must 'change dramatically' including releasing political prisoners and moving toward political and economic liberalization in exchange for lifting sanctions.
- The piece underscores that this Cuba posture comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s armed raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—cutting off Venezuelan oil that had supported Cuba—and recent U.S. military strikes on Iran, situating Cuba as the next potential front in an aggressive foreign‑policy pattern.
11:33 AM
U.S. seeks NATO help with Strait of Hormuz. And, SCOTUS blocks vaccine changes
New information:
- NPR characterizes yesterday’s collapse as 'another catastrophic' failure and the largest islandwide blackout since the U.S. began blocking oil shipments to Cuba in January.
- The report notes that since the blockade, Cuba has not received imported oil for its thermal plants 'for months,' reinforcing the depth of the fuel crunch.
- It adds that over the weekend Cuba announced it would release 51 prisoners from the 2021 protest wave and allow Cubans living abroad to invest in and own businesses, framed as concessions amid ongoing U.S.–Cuba negotiations.
- Trump publicly said he would have the 'honor of taking Cuba,' rhetoric that goes beyond previous pressure and suggests regime‑change ambitions.
3:14 AM
Islandwide blackout hits Cuba as it struggles with deepening energy crisis
New information:
- Confirms a specific islandwide blackout on Monday, March 16, 2026, affecting Cuba’s population of about 11 million people and described by the Energy and Mines Ministry as a 'complete disconnection' of the electrical system.
- Details that crews were restarting several thermoelectric plants gradually, with power restored by Monday night to about 5% of Havana (roughly 42,000 customers) and to several hospitals across the island, with communications infrastructure next in line.
- Reports that this is the third major nationwide blackout in the past four months, with residents describing food spoilage, constant outages and despair that is pushing some to consider leaving the island.
- Adds fresh, on-the-record regime‑change rhetoric from President Trump, who said he believes he will have the 'honor of taking Cuba' and that he could 'do anything I want with it,' while the administration demands political prisoners’ release, liberalization, and the departure of President Miguel Díaz‑Canel in exchange for easing energy sanctions.
- Cites U.S. and other sources confirming that the Trump administration is actively seeking Díaz‑Canel’s ouster and is in negotiations with Havana over Cuba’s political future, beyond earlier generic references to 'energy restrictions.'
1:29 AM
Cuba's entire electrical grid collapses, leaving whole island without power
New information:
- U.S. Embassy in Cuba stated that at 1:54 p.m. local time there was a disconnection of the national electrical grid resulting in a complete power outage across Cuba, including the Havana metro area.
- Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines confirmed a total collapse of the National Electrical System and said causes are under investigation while restoration protocols are being activated.
- Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel said no fuel has entered the country for the past three months and that electricity generation has relied heavily on renewable energy in that period.
- Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos F. de Cossio publicly blamed U.S. officials for the harm to Cuban families from the blackout, explicitly tying it to Washington’s embargo and recent actions disrupting Venezuelan fuel shipments.
- Local utility officials in Villa Clara framed a new solar‑panel project as a 'national security necessity' in light of continuing U.S. restrictions on fossil fuel access.
March 16, 2026
9:42 PM
Cuba plans to open up to investment from nationals in U.S. amid pressure from Trump
New information:
- Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga says Cuba will allow Cuban nationals living abroad, including in the U.S., and their descendants to invest in companies on the island, with a policy announcement expected Monday night.
- Fraga says Cuba is open to both small and large investments, particularly in infrastructure, and to 'fluid commercial relationships' with U.S. companies and Cuban Americans.
- The report ties Cuba’s move directly to economic collapse, a collapsing energy grid, and fuel shortages aggravated by the Trump administration’s threats of steep tariffs on countries shipping oil to Cuba.
- Trump has recently described Cuba as a 'failed nation,' suggested a 'friendly takeover' is possible, said the U.S. and Cuba are talking, and claimed that 'whether I free it, take it, I think I could do anything I want with it.'
7:50 PM
Cuba hit by island wide blackout as energy crisis deepens
New information:
- Confirms the latest outage is explicitly described by Cuban officials as an 'island‑wide blackout' affecting the entire country of about 11 million people.
- Specifies that the Cuban Ministry of Energy and Mines reported a 'complete disconnection' of the national electrical system on X and is investigating.
- Details that President Miguel Díaz‑Canel said Friday that Cuba has not received oil shipments in more than three months, is operating on solar, natural gas and thermoelectric plants, and has postponed surgeries for tens of thousands of people.
- Clarifies that critical oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. attacked Venezuela in early January and arrested then‑President Nicolás Maduro.
- Notes that Díaz‑Canel confirmed Cuba is holding talks with the U.S. government as the energy and economic problems deepen.
7:01 PM
Cuba's national energy grid collapses sparking nationwide blackout
New information:
- Cuban authorities reported an island‑wide blackout Monday, with the Ministry of Energy and Mines citing a 'complete disconnection' of the national electrical system and ongoing restoration efforts.
- President Miguel Díaz‑Canel said Cuba has not received any oil shipments in more than three months, is relying on solar, natural gas and thermoelectric plants, and has postponed surgeries for tens of thousands of people.
- The blackout is linked to the halt of critical Venezuelan oil shipments after the U.S. attack on Venezuela in early January and the arrest of then‑president Nicolás Maduro, with Havana blaming a U.S. 'energy blockade' after Trump threatened tariffs on any country supplying Cuba.
- Díaz‑Canel confirmed Cuba is holding talks with the U.S. government about the deepening crisis, while a U.S. official told CBS earlier this year that the administration seeks to negotiate a transition away from Cuba’s communist system rather than trigger regime collapse.
- Social‑media videos show cacerolazo protests—pot‑banging demonstrations—in Havana and other cities over blackouts, food shortages and deteriorating living conditions, echoing earlier unrest in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
6:26 PM
Cuba reports island-wide blackout as country struggles with energy crisis
New information:
- Confirms an island-wide blackout on Monday, March 16, with Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines reporting a 'complete disconnection' of the national grid and opening an investigation.
- Quotes President Miguel Díaz-Canel saying Cuba has not received any oil shipments in more than three months and is running on solar, natural gas and thermoelectric plants while postponing 'tens of thousands' of surgeries.
- Attributes halted critical oil shipments from Venezuela to U.S. action in early January that included an attack on the country and the arrest of then-President Nicolás Maduro.
- Notes a massive outage just over a week earlier that affected the island’s west, indicating repeated, escalating grid failures.
March 14, 2026