Name: Cuba braces for shortages as Trump vows to cut off Venezuelan oil
Uploaded: 2026-01-13T20:24:25.170Z
Duration: 2 min 19 s
Description: Cubans are bracing for impact after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to cut off a lifeline of Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba, setting up a siege scenario for an island already reeling from crippling blackouts and shortages.

Cubans are bracing for impact after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to cut off a lifeline of Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba, setting up a siege scenario for an island already reeling from crippling blackouts and shortages.

Havana

Cuba is bracing for widespread shortages after the United States, under President Donald Trump, blocked Venezuelan oil shipments to the island. Venezuelan oil, once Cuba's primary energy source, has not reached the country for about a month due to a U.S. naval blockade, leading to concerns over electricity, transportation, and essential services.

Cuban citizens report long waits for fuel and increasing reliance on charcoal for cooking as electricity becomes unreliable. The Cuban government, led by President Miguel Diaz-Canel, has stated it will not yield to U.S. threats. There is no public information about Cuba's current oil reserves, and it remains uncertain whether Cuba's allies will intervene to provide assistance.

Cuba braces for shortages as Trump vows to cut off Venezuelan oil

Many Cubans are worried they could be left in the dark after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to cut off a lifeline of Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba. Venezuela was once Cuba's top supplier, but according to shipping data and internal documents from Venezuela's state-owned oil and gas company, it has not sent crude or fuel to Cuba for about a month. That's due to a U.S. naval blockade even before the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Some Cubans say that without fuel, daily life will be more difficult. Dianira Gonzalez, who lives in Havana's countryside, prepares her children's lunch over charcoal because, she says, electricity is spotty. What's going to happen? If Donald Trump doesn't let fuel into Cuba, we're going to be without fuel, even for lighting. We'll be in the dark with the children in need, because what are we going to use for light? What are we going to cook for the children if not with charcoal? Drivers, too, are feeling the strain. We have lines here for 24, 48, 72 hours, and that has an impact because 24 hours here means 24 hours without income. People who are in hospitals and who sometimes have to wait or have to leave in another car because the car they are assigned doesn't have fuel to run, and that definitely has a serious impact here on Cuban society. Tensions are rapidly escalating between the U.S. and Cuba. In a recent social media post, Trump said no more Venezuelan oil or money would go to Cuba following the capture of Maduro and suggested it should strike a deal with Washington. So far, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has made clear his government will stand firm against U.S. threats. Now, Cuba's residents wonder how long the communist-run island can hold out in the face of vastly reduced oil imports. There is no public information about how much oil Cuba may be holding in reserve. It is also unclear whether Cuba's political allies would be willing to risk Trump's ire to help bail out Cuba.

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