HAVANA, Cuba — Thousands of Cubans poured into the streets of Havana on Friday as the island grapples with a convergence of crises: a U.S. indictment of former president Raúl Castro, daily blackouts stretching across the island, and fuel shortages that have crippled hospitals, transport and an already fragile tourism sector.
The protests — the largest since the 2026 Cuban crisis began — erupted outside the U.S. embassy in Havana’s Vedado district on May 22, with demonstrators waving Cuban flags and chanting slogans against U.S. sanctions. The immediate trigger: a U.S. Department of Justice indictment charging Raúl Castro, 93, with drug trafficking and conspiracy, announced days earlier by the Trump administration as part of its broader “maximum pressure” campaign against the Havana government.
Castro made his first public appearance since the charges on June 6, appearing at a birthday celebration — an event his allies portrayed as a show of defiance against Washington. Cuban state media called the indictment an act of “economic warfare” and “imperial aggression.”
The Fuel Crisis: No Oil, No Power
The street anger reflects a deepening humanitarian emergency. Cuba has been without Venezuelan oil since January 3, 2026, when a U.S. military operation — codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve — captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. For decades, Venezuela had supplied the bulk of Cuba’s crude oil at subsidized rates, a political and economic arrangement that underpinned the island’s energy grid.
Mexico suspended its own oil exports to Cuba by late January, following a Trump executive order threatening punitive tariffs on any country that exports petroleum to Havana. With both suppliers cut off, Cuba’s power grid has collapsed. Rolling blackouts now affect most of the island, with some regions losing electricity for 12 or more hours per day. Hospitals have been forced to ration power, prioritizing critical care units. Public transport has ground to a near standstill.
Aviation has not been spared. Several international carriers — including major Canadian airlines — have suspended or reduced flights to Cuba because jet fuel is scarce. Some routes now require fuel stops in the Dominican Republic. José Martí International Airport in Havana has reported intermittent supply disruptions.
Tourism in Freefall
Tourism, once the lifeblood of Cuba’s foreign-currency earnings, has collapsed. The globally renowned Habanos cigar festival was postponed indefinitely. Hotels have closed. Classic car tours — an iconic draw for visitors — have been canceled or scaled back as fuel rationing restricts private vehicles. Industry analysts warn the sector may not recover without a resolution of the energy crisis.
The economic shock has rippled into food security. Without reliable fuel, food storage and agricultural transport have been severely disrupted. Garbage collection in Havana and other cities has largely ceased, adding public health concerns to the island’s mounting list of emergencies.
International Response: Moscow Rallies to Havana
Russia’s foreign minister met with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez in Moscow this week, condemning U.S. threats of a maritime blockade and pledging continued support for Cuba’s sovereignty. Moscow hinted at possible humanitarian fuel shipments — a move analysts see as a direct geopolitical challenge to Washington’s regional strategy. China has also signaled solidarity with Havana, voting against U.S. measures at multilateral forums.
Meanwhile, Argentina and Chile have condemned the U.S. embargo as a violation of human rights. The UN Human Rights Office issued a statement on June 8 calling on the United States to lift sanctions on Cuba, warning that they are “endangering lives and must be lifted.”
Acting President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who has led protests against the indictment alongside Raúl Castro, has called for international mediation. So far, Washington has shown no sign of softening its position. The Treasury Department has tightened restrictions on dollar transactions involving Cuban state entities, effectively sealing off Havana from global payment systems.
What Comes Next
Cuba’s state oil reserves — managed by Union Cuba-Petroleo — are reported to be critically low. Without external relief, the grid could face total failure within weeks. Russian aid shipments, if they materialize, would be the first major relief operation since January. Whether Moscow can or will move fast enough to prevent a complete collapse remains the central question facing the island.
For ordinary Cubans, the immediate crisis is not geopolitical — it is the daily blackout, the empty fuel tank, the hospital with no generator fuel. And on the streets of Havana, the crowds have made clear they are watching to see who blinks first.
Diego Vargas
Diego Vargas covers Latin American politics, economics, and regional affairs from Bogota.