President Donald Trump has warned Cuba to strike a deal with the US "before it's too late," threatening to cut off all Venezuelan oil and money supplies following Nicolas Maduro's capture by US forces.


Trump Warns Cuba: Deal Now or Face Cutoff After Maduro

Trump warned Cuba that it will no longer receive oil or financial support and urged Havana to reach an agreement with the United States before it is "too late," saying the island once relied heavily on Venezuelan oil and money.

US vs Cuba: Trump Vows To Halt Oil, Money Flow To Cuba From Venezuela

Trump warned Cuba that it will no longer receive oil or financial support and urged Havana to reach an agreement with the United States before it is "too late," saying the island once relied heavily on Venezuelan oil and money.


US vs Cuba: Trump says Cuba traded security services for cheap Venezuelan oil 

In an exclusive WION interview, Cuba's Ambassador to India Juan Carlos Marsán Aguilera labeled President Trump a "dangerous person" whose administration views itself as the "owner of the world," treating Latin America as its "backyard" after the U.S. military operation capturing Nicolás Maduro, which he called a "criminal" and "terrorist act" violating UN Charter and international law.

"U.S. Sees Itself World Owner": Cuba's Aguilera Slams Trump

Cuba has launched its strongest condemnation of the US military operation in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was "captured", accusing Washington of acting as the self-proclaimed “owner of the world” and treating Latin America as its private “backyard”. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Cuban Ambassador to India Juan Carlos Marsán Aguilera described the 3 January raid, which left 33 Cuban security personnel dead, as a blatant violation of sovereignty.&nbsp;“It is part of their philosophy that they are the owner of the world and they should… guide the world in the direction they decide,” Aguilera said. “Nobody could support an action like this against a sovereign country like Venezuela, against the constitutional government of Venezuela, against the independence of one country of our region."&nbsp;The ambassador tied the action directly to a resurgent Monroe Doctrine, which he called unacceptable domination. “They are treating us like a backyard… We cannot accept that,” he declared, warning that the US seeks control over the region’s strategic resources, particularly Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.&nbsp;Cuba has declared two days of national mourning for the fallen Cubans, whom Aguilera said died “defending President Nicolás Maduro” after being deployed at Caracas’s request to reinforce presidential security. “If one day they decide to touch Cuban soil, they will receive the same answer,” he vowed.<h2>How do you see the development that has happened in your region, the US intervention in Venezuela?</h2>We were following the situation very closely. It has not started yet. A few months ago, the Trump administration, and especially the Secretary of State and the Minister of War, mobilised a lot of military resources in the Caribbean region threatening Venezuela.&nbsp;Suddenly it happens. We are expecting that they will respect international law, or they will follow the UN Charter, but at the end of the day, they are following their own interest and not the interests of the international community. They made this terrorist attack against Venezuela, against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. They sent, in my opinion, a terrorist group to execute the legitimate president who was elected by the people in Venezuela and take him to New York to start preparing this trial against President Maduro and also his wife. Expression of a unilateral action of the United States.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nobody could support an action like this against a sovereign country like Venezuela, against the constitutional government of Venezuela, against the independence of one country of our region. You were following the press conference, and they announced the result of this operation. We are very concerned. They said that the United States will not accept any government in what they say, their neighbourhoods, they say, their areas of influence, Latin America and the Caribbean.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any country that doesn't have a government that follows the interests of the US. They are treating us like the backyard of the US. Latin America and the Caribbean countries, where we spent more than 200 years to reach our own independence from the US, from Spain, and from different colonies. But they try to treat Latin America as its own area of influence, and they have the right, you know, over all the strategic mineral resources and natural resources, the oil of Latin America and the Caribbean countries, for their own benefits. We cannot accept that. The US is treating and attacking one Latin American country, following their interest in the natural resources of our countries. So we cannot accept that. We must raise our voice and make it very clear that this is unacceptable, not only for Latin America, but also for the whole world.<h2>Does the development which we have seen in Venezuela, the American intervention? Worry you?</h2> Any country should be worried about what happened. The same day, he also announced their interest in having Greenland as a US territory against even their allies in Europe. Same threat against Iran, and other countries, Nigeria. Every day, we are following different actions of one country against another in the world. I don't see China or any other country attacking another one or making military invasions. It is the US, because it is part of their philosophy that they are the owner of the world and they should, because for some reason, they have the role to guide the world in the direction they decide. Cuba has been subjected for more than 65 years to this policy of the blockade, which is the longest blockade that any nation has suffered. During the first Trump administration, he adopted 243 measures specifically against Cuba in order to suffocate the Cuban economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-gop-is-going-to-make-history-with-midterm-polls-trump-gop-zoharan-mamdani-democratic-party-house-republican-retreat-trump-1767716495772">'GOP IS GOING TO MAKE HISTORY WITH MIDTERM POLLS': Trump</a>&nbsp;During this administration, one of the first decisions signed by Trump was to re-include Cuba in the list of countries that supposedly sponsor terrorists is totally unfair, because Cuba has been a victim of the terror action committed from the US territory and with the support of the US government. We are not, we have not committed any action of terrorists against any nation. We are providing medical services. We are providing educational services to the world, not terrorist actions. The idea is, as I said, to strangle the Cuban economy, to cut any financial income to Cuba. They are trying to cut all direct flights from the US to Cuba. We have more than 2 million Cubans living in the US. They are also stopping all the oil supply to Cuba.&nbsp;&nbsp;We are not producing all the oil that we require. Less than 40%. The rest we should import from other countries. They are following all routes where the oil is supplied to Cuba, all the vessels, the international companies, in order to cut this possibility to the Cuban economy, to supply energy to our people, to develop our economy. They are, for example, trying to disrupt the medical services that Cuba provides to more than 60 countries in the world. So the idea is to isolate Cuba and to try to cut all the financial income to our economy, to try to create problems for our people, and, very important at the same time, to develop a media campaign.&nbsp;&nbsp;The idea is how to mobilise the Cuban people against the government as the target, and it could justify a military action against Cuba, because to say people are against the government expressing on the street, and the Cuban government is trying to punish all these people, and we should make a military invasion to put order in Cuba. It's the same idea, the same idea they are doing in other countries, including Venezuela. So it's clear that these policies of the blockade are completely isolated in the international community.&nbsp;&nbsp;Every year, the Cuban government presents in the United Nations a resolution containing the US blockade towards Cuba, and the huge majority of the international community for 33 years has rejected this policy of the blockade. So nobody in the world, not a single country, well, just two, three countries. The rest of the international community is very clear that this policy should come to an end, and the Cuban people have a right to live in peace and to develop all the capacity that we have in order to provide more quality of life to our people.&nbsp;<h2>Donald Trump has said that Cuba is next in line. His Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has also made comments against your country. How do you see these comments as well?</h2> It's very dangerous, not only for Cuba. &nbsp;This person (Trump), who is in charge of this government now, is a very dangerous person. We know them very well. For example, you mentioned Marco Rubio. He started his political career saying that he was Cuban, that his father, when escaping from the dictatorship of the Cuban revolution to the US, was lying. It's lying because their parents went to us before the Cuban Revolution, looking for economic opportunities in us. It happens in Latin America.&nbsp;&nbsp;The people are travelling to the US, trying to reach the US in order to look for opportunities. Because unfortunately we, the Latin Americas, are suffering this long policy of extracting our minerals, our financial resources, our natural resources, from the US companies that, for example, in Cuba, more than 80% of the best land of Cuba to produce the sugar cane and others belong to the US companies before the revolution, and the revolution was a break point of this to give back to the Cuban people our resources, our region, in our country, and from the very beginning we start, of course, opposing to this.&nbsp;So I consider that any country, Latin America, could be a target of this policy of the US. In our case, I see it well. Remember that in the 90s, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba remained almost isolated. At that time, I remember Bush's father was the president of the US, and they said, This is the moment we are going to defeat the Cuban revolution. We are 35 years later. We are here, and we will continue, because the only option for the Cubans is to support and to remain independent. Otherwise, we will be a new colony from the US. They understand very well that we should be resilient enough, but at the same time, we should continue trying to develop under these circumstances. We should develop our economy. We should try to find solutions to our project, to continue providing quality of life to our people, and to show that in our case, socialisation is the best possibility to preserve independence, sovereignty and self-determination in front of this big empire, the biggest empire, just 90 miles from our country.<h2>When the incident happened, when the intervention happened, we saw that the President was taken by the American forces and taken to New York. Now, your government, your country, have announced a period of mourning because many Cubans have died as well. Can you just tell us about how the Cuban side is looking at it, and what these Cubans were doing in Venezuela?&nbsp;</h2> We have a long-standing, close relationship between our two governments. The Bolivarian government requests that Cuba provide some support because of our expertise to reinforce the safeguard team of President Maduro, and we sent some people to fulfil this responsibility. And at the moment, they made this a surprise attack on the presidential palace, many of them were there, and well, 32 people were killed in combat. 33 Cubans.&nbsp;They were fulfilling their responsibility. It is Cuba, what they did defending the President Nicolas Maduro. It is an expression. What Cuba is ready to do. If one day they decide to touch the Cuban soil, they will receive the same answer that we're going to defend our land until the last consequence. Let me tell you that we have always been in this position to develop a normal relationship with the US.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is very important, because even when US citizens travel to Cuba, they discover that there are no feelings against them. We know very well the position of the government and what is the position of the US population. And we have historical relations with those in this country, and we are always offered the possibility to start a conversation based on mutual respect. During the period of the Obama administration, we were able to sit together to discuss our big differences. The problem is that they (Trump) don't want to have this opinion. There's a guiding ideology from this extreme right ideology from their side, that the only way is to defeat the Cuban Revolution.&nbsp;<h2>Trump has come up with a new doctrine. It's actually an old doctrine, but it has his name. That's the Donroe doctrine, which is the Monroe Doctrine.</h2>(Donroe Doctrine) Cannot be accepted. They said that they cannot accept a socialist country in the Latin American region. They will not accept any government that is against the US interest.&nbsp;&nbsp;They said that Latin America belongs to them. They have the right to dominate Latin America. The Monroe Doctrine follows this idea, regarding Latin America and the Caribbean region for Americans. And they said, Latin America is for the US, and we cannot accept it. They cannot impose any politics on our region. We cannot accept it. It's clear. Is clear. We cannot accept that the relationship with the US could be guidance.&nbsp;<h2>How do you see India's reaction after the American intervention in Venezuela?</h2>Well, I was reading the statement of the Indian government, and they are calling for a diplomatic solution through negotiation, through the people to talk and to find cooperation together in order to reach an agreement. It is one of the principles of international law, all problems should be solved in a diplomatic way and not through war. It is clear to me.&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, India is playing a more important role in the international community every day, and India is part of the BRICS. &nbsp;India this year is in the Presidency of BRICS. It offered, of course, the opportunity to continue enhancing the cooperation among the BRICS members, but also to extend to the global south, and India is considered the voice of the Global South. I saw that, for example, in the case of Cuba, we are next Monday, June 12, we are celebrating the 66 years of establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, and in all these years, the relationship has been built on the basis of mutual respect, cooperation and solidarity. We have received many gestures from the Indian government, for example, supporting Cuba against the policy of the blockade. India has moved all these 33 years against the policy of the blockade, also providing some support to Cuba.&nbsp;&nbsp;Recently, we suffered a strong hurricane, and the Indian government decided to send some material resources, in terms of medication, to the Cuban population. We are very glad and recognise this strong connection between our two countries. We have been a very close partner in the international organisations, including in the non-alignment movement, G77, but also in the United Nations. And we have cooperated very closely with the two countries in order to defend the rights of the global south in the international organisation as well. I'm pretty sure they will continue to strengthen the political, economic cooperation between the two countries.&nbsp;<h2>Cuba has many friends. Russia is your close friend. There are other countries as well. In fact, I believe I've read somewhere that you spoke on the Iranian side as well. What are your expectations from these countries?</h2> Well, we have relationships with more than 180 countries. We have embassies in more than 145 countries all over the world. We have an excellent relationship with all the Latin American and Caribbean countries. We, for example, have a CARICOM with all the Caribbean countries as well, a very close and historical relations. We have a relationship with all the African countries and the African Union as well. This year, the African Union adopted a resolution against the blockade towards Cuba.&nbsp;&nbsp;We also have a memorandum of cooperation with the European Union. For more than 20 years, we have developed close cooperation with the European Union in many fields, for example, in food security, in energy sustainability, and also in human rights. Of course, with the Asian countries, you mentioned Russia, but I can mention, and also other countries, such are Vietnam, China, of course, I already mentioned India.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Cuba has declared two days of national mourning for the fallen Cubans, whom Aguilera said died “defending President Nicolás Maduro” after being deployed at Caracas’s request to reinforce presidential security.

Cuba has launched its strongest condemnation of the US military operation in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was "captured", accusing Washington of acting as the self-proclaimed “owner of the world” and treating Latin America as its private “backyard”. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Cuban Ambassador to India Juan Carlos Marsán Aguilera described the 3 January raid, which left 33 Cuban security personnel dead, as a blatant violation of sovereignty. “It is part of their philosophy that they are the owner of the world and they should… guide the world in the direction they decide,” Aguilera said. “Nobody could support an action like this against a sovereign country like Venezuela, against the constitutional government of Venezuela, against the independence of one country of our region." The ambassador tied the action directly to a resurgent Monroe Doctrine, which he called unacceptable domination. “They are treating us like a backyard… We cannot accept that,” he declared, warning that the US seeks control over the region’s strategic resources, particularly Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. Cuba has declared two days of national mourning for the fallen Cubans, whom Aguilera said died “defending President Nicolás Maduro” after being deployed at Caracas’s request to reinforce presidential security. “If one day they decide to touch Cuban soil, they will receive the same answer,” he vowed. How do you see the development that has happened in your region, the US intervention in Venezuela? We were following the situation very closely. It has not started yet. A few months ago, the Trump administration, and especially the Secretary of State and the Minister of War, mobilised a lot of military resources in the Caribbean region threatening Venezuela. Suddenly it happens. We are expecting that they will respect international law, or they will follow the UN Charter, but at the end of the day, they are following their own interest and not the interests of the international community. They made this terrorist attack against Venezuela, against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. They sent, in my opinion, a terrorist group to execute the legitimate president who was elected by the people in Venezuela and take him to New York to start preparing this trial against President Maduro and also his wife. Expression of a unilateral action of the United States. Nobody could support an action like this against a sovereign country like Venezuela, against the constitutional government of Venezuela, against the independence of one country of our region. You were following the press conference, and they announced the result of this operation. We are very concerned. They said that the United States will not accept any government in what they say, their neighbourhoods, they say, their areas of influence, Latin America and the Caribbean. Any country that doesn't have a government that follows the interests of the US. They are treating us like the backyard of the US. Latin America and the Caribbean countries, where we spent more than 200 years to reach our own independence from the US, from Spain, and from different colonies. But they try to treat Latin America as its own area of influence, and they have the right, you know, over all the strategic mineral resources and natural resources, the oil of Latin America and the Caribbean countries, for their own benefits. We cannot accept that. The US is treating and attacking one Latin American country, following their interest in the natural resources of our countries. So we cannot accept that. We must raise our voice and make it very clear that this is unacceptable, not only for Latin America, but also for the whole world. Does the development which we have seen in Venezuela, the American intervention? Worry you? Any country should be worried about what happened. The same day, he also announced their interest in having Greenland as a US territory against even their allies in Europe. Same threat against Iran, and other countries, Nigeria. Every day, we are following different actions of one country against another in the world. I don't see China or any other country attacking another one or making military invasions. It is the US, because it is part of their philosophy that they are the owner of the world and they should, because for some reason, they have the role to guide the world in the direction they decide. Cuba has been subjected for more than 65 years to this policy of the blockade, which is the longest blockade that any nation has suffered. During the first Trump administration, he adopted 243 measures specifically against Cuba in order to suffocate the Cuban economy. Also Read: 'GOP IS GOING TO MAKE HISTORY WITH MIDTERM POLLS': Trump During this administration, one of the first decisions signed by Trump was to re-include Cuba in the list of countries that supposedly sponsor terrorists is totally unfair, because Cuba has been a victim of the terror action committed from the US territory and with the support of the US government. We are not, we have not committed any action of terrorists against any nation. We are providing medical services. We are providing educational services to the world, not terrorist actions. The idea is, as I said, to strangle the Cuban economy, to cut any financial income to Cuba. They are trying to cut all direct flights from the US to Cuba. We have more than 2 million Cubans living in the US. They are also stopping all the oil supply to Cuba. We are not producing all the oil that we require. Less than 40%. The rest we should import from other countries. They are following all routes where the oil is supplied to Cuba, all the vessels, the international companies, in order to cut this possibility to the Cuban economy, to supply energy to our people, to develop our economy. They are, for example, trying to disrupt the medical services that Cuba provides to more than 60 countries in the world. So the idea is to isolate Cuba and to try to cut all the financial income to our economy, to try to create problems for our people, and, very important at the same time, to develop a media campaign. The idea is how to mobilise the Cuban people against the government as the target, and it could justify a military action against Cuba, because to say people are against the government expressing on the street, and the Cuban government is trying to punish all these people, and we should make a military invasion to put order in Cuba. It's the same idea, the same idea they are doing in other countries, including Venezuela. So it's clear that these policies of the blockade are completely isolated in the international community. Every year, the Cuban government presents in the United Nations a resolution containing the US blockade towards Cuba, and the huge majority of the international community for 33 years has rejected this policy of the blockade. So nobody in the world, not a single country, well, just two, three countries. The rest of the international community is very clear that this policy should come to an end, and the Cuban people have a right to live in peace and to develop all the capacity that we have in order to provide more quality of life to our people. Donald Trump has said that Cuba is next in line. His Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has also made comments against your country. How do you see these comments as well? It's very dangerous, not only for Cuba. This person (Trump), who is in charge of this government now, is a very dangerous person. We know them very well. For example, you mentioned Marco Rubio. He started his political career saying that he was Cuban, that his father, when escaping from the dictatorship of the Cuban revolution to the US, was lying. It's lying because their parents went to us before the Cuban Revolution, looking for economic opportunities in us. It happens in Latin America. The people are travelling to the US, trying to reach the US in order to look for opportunities. Because unfortunately we, the Latin Americas, are suffering this long policy of extracting our minerals, our financial resources, our natural resources, from the US companies that, for example, in Cuba, more than 80% of the best land of Cuba to produce the sugar cane and others belong to the US companies before the revolution, and the revolution was a break point of this to give back to the Cuban people our resources, our region, in our country, and from the very beginning we start, of course, opposing to this. So I consider that any country, Latin America, could be a target of this policy of the US. In our case, I see it well. Remember that in the 90s, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba remained almost isolated. At that time, I remember Bush's father was the president of the US, and they said, This is the moment we are going to defeat the Cuban revolution. We are 35 years later. We are here, and we will continue, because the only option for the Cubans is to support and to remain independent. Otherwise, we will be a new colony from the US. They understand very well that we should be resilient enough, but at the same time, we should continue trying to develop under these circumstances. We should develop our economy. We should try to find solutions to our project, to continue providing quality of life to our people, and to show that in our case, socialisation is the best possibility to preserve independence, sovereignty and self-determination in front of this big empire, the biggest empire, just 90 miles from our country. When the incident happened, when the intervention happened, we saw that the President was taken by the American forces and taken to New York. Now, your government, your country, have announced a period of mourning because many Cubans have died as well. Can you just tell us about how the Cuban side is looking at it, and what these Cubans were doing in Venezuela? We have a long-standing, close relationship between our two governments. The Bolivarian government requests that Cuba provide some support because of our expertise to reinforce the safeguard team of President Maduro, and we sent some people to fulfil this responsibility. And at the moment, they made this a surprise attack on the presidential palace, many of them were there, and well, 32 people were killed in combat. 33 Cubans. They were fulfilling their responsibility. It is Cuba, what they did defending the President Nicolas Maduro. It is an expression. What Cuba is ready to do. If one day they decide to touch the Cuban soil, they will receive the same answer that we're going to defend our land until the last consequence. Let me tell you that we have always been in this position to develop a normal relationship with the US. It is very important, because even when US citizens travel to Cuba, they discover that there are no feelings against them. We know very well the position of the government and what is the position of the US population. And we have historical relations with those in this country, and we are always offered the possibility to start a conversation based on mutual respect. During the period of the Obama administration, we were able to sit together to discuss our big differences. The problem is that they (Trump) don't want to have this opinion. There's a guiding ideology from this extreme right ideology from their side, that the only way is to defeat the Cuban Revolution. Trump has come up with a new doctrine. It's actually an old doctrine, but it has his name. That's the Donroe doctrine, which is the Monroe Doctrine. (Donroe Doctrine) Cannot be accepted. They said that they cannot accept a socialist country in the Latin American region. They will not accept any government that is against the US interest. They said that Latin America belongs to them. They have the right to dominate Latin America. The Monroe Doctrine follows this idea, regarding Latin America and the Caribbean region for Americans. And they said, Latin America is for the US, and we cannot accept it. They cannot impose any politics on our region. We cannot accept it. It's clear. Is clear. We cannot accept that the relationship with the US could be guidance. How do you see India's reaction after the American intervention in Venezuela? Well, I was reading the statement of the Indian government, and they are calling for a diplomatic solution through negotiation, through the people to talk and to find cooperation together in order to reach an agreement. It is one of the principles of international law, all problems should be solved in a diplomatic way and not through war. It is clear to me. Well, India is playing a more important role in the international community every day, and India is part of the BRICS. India this year is in the Presidency of BRICS. It offered, of course, the opportunity to continue enhancing the cooperation among the BRICS members, but also to extend to the global south, and India is considered the voice of the Global South. I saw that, for example, in the case of Cuba, we are next Monday, June 12, we are celebrating the 66 years of establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, and in all these years, the relationship has been built on the basis of mutual respect, cooperation and solidarity. We have received many gestures from the Indian government, for example, supporting Cuba against the policy of the blockade. India has moved all these 33 years against the policy of the blockade, also providing some support to Cuba. Recently, we suffered a strong hurricane, and the Indian government decided to send some material resources, in terms of medication, to the Cuban population. We are very glad and recognise this strong connection between our two countries. We have been a very close partner in the international organisations, including in the non-alignment movement, G77, but also in the United Nations. And we have cooperated very closely with the two countries in order to defend the rights of the global south in the international organisation as well. I'm pretty sure they will continue to strengthen the political, economic cooperation between the two countries. Cuba has many friends. Russia is your close friend. There are other countries as well. In fact, I believe I've read somewhere that you spoke on the Iranian side as well. What are your expectations from these countries? Well, we have relationships with more than 180 countries. We have embassies in more than 145 countries all over the world. We have an excellent relationship with all the Latin American and Caribbean countries. We, for example, have a CARICOM with all the Caribbean countries as well, a very close and historical relations. We have a relationship with all the African countries and the African Union as well. This year, the African Union adopted a resolution against the blockade towards Cuba. We also have a memorandum of cooperation with the European Union. For more than 20 years, we have developed close cooperation with the European Union in many fields, for example, in food security, in energy sustainability, and also in human rights. Of course, with the Asian countries, you mentioned Russia, but I can mention, and also other countries, such are Vietnam, China, of course, I already mentioned India.

Cuba has declared two days of national mourning for the fallen Cubans, whom Aguilera said died “defending President Nicolás Maduro” after being deployed at Caracas’s request to reinforce presidential security.

Cuba Ambassador Aguilera: US believes It Is the 'owner of the world', Latin America its 'Backyard'

Cuba plays a central role in Venezuela’s survival, embedding intelligence and military advisors, trading oil for security, exporting surveillance systems, and allegedly enabling drug routes. The alliance links regime protection with regional cocaine trafficking.

Cuba plays a central role in Venezuela’s survival, embedding intelligence and military advisors, trading oil for security, exporting surveillance systems, and allegedly enabling drug routes. The alliance links regime protection with regional cocaine trafficking.

The role of Cuba in Venezuelan politics and the regional drug trade

This mosquito-ridden lagoon deep in the Zapata Swamp, the Caribbean's largest intact wetland, is ground-zero for a humble but dedicated restoration effort that aims to save the manjuari, or Cuban gar, from extinction.


Cuban Scientists Race Against Time to Save Fish as Old as the Dinosaurs

Cuban scientists race against time to save fish as old as the dinosaurs

Nearly a month after hurricane melissa tore through eastern Cuba as one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded. Tens of thousands of people are still without power, clean water, or a place to call home.


Hurricane Melissa: Thousands Remain Displaced in Cuba Nearly a Month After Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica is bracing for Hurricane Melissa, predicted to be the most destructive storm on record to hit the Caribbean island. Forecasters say the Category 5 storm is likely to cause “catastrophic” flooding, landslides and widespread damage, and the Red Cross warns that up to 1.5 million people may be directly affected.

Powerful Hurricane Melissa Worst Storm in Jamaica's History, Leaves Three Dead 

Hurricane Melissa Intensifies to Category 5, Jamaica Braces For Strongest Recorded Storm

Cubans were in despair Wednesday after their cash-strapped communist country plunged into its fifth nationwide power blackout in a year.

Fifth Blackout In A Year Hits Cuba With 10m People In The Dark

Cuba is grappling with a nationwide blackout as its electricity grid suffers a major failure. The worsening energy crisis is deepening the country’s economic struggles, leaving millions without power. The government has vowed to restore electricity swiftly, but repeated outages continue to raise concerns.

Cuba faces widespread blackouts as energy grid fails nationwide

Cuba honoured the legacy of revolutionary hero Jose Marti with a torch march. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and former President Raúl Castro participated in the symbolic event.

Torch march pays tribute to Cuban revolutionary hero Jose Marti

US President Donald Trump on Monday promptly reversed Joe Biden's decision to remove Cuba from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, announced days earlier as part of a deal to free prisoners.
In a statement issued hours after the inauguration, the White House said Trump had rescinded a long series of executive orders, including the decision on Cuba.
The Biden administration in its final days last week said it would remove Cuba from the list, which severely impedes foreign investment, in return for a promise to release 553 people -- including Cubans jailed in a crackdown on rare mass protests in 2021.
Cuba had gone ahead with releasing prisoners, including opposition leader Daniel Ferrer.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that Trump was acting out of "arrogance and disregard for the truth."
"This is not surprising. His goal is to keep accelerating the cruel economic war against Cuba with a goal of domination," he wrote on X.
Trump himself had made a decision in his final days in office in 2021 to put Cuba back on the list, reversing a reconciliation drive under former president Barack Obama.
The White House did not describe reasons for reversing Biden's order or whether it expected the move to impact freed prisoners.
But new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American staunchly opposed to the communist island's government, told his confirmation hearing last week that he had "zero doubt" that Cuba belonged on the list.
The last Trump administration in 2021 had also cited Cuba's refusal to extradite back to Colombia members of the militant group ELN.
Colombia has since elected a leftist president, Gustavo Petro, who dropped the arrest warrants, although conflict with the ELN has erupted again in recent days, with at least 100 people dead.
Rubio told his confirmation hearing that another Colombian guerrilla group, the FARC, "has had the full support of the Cuban regime throughout their entire existence" and that Cuba has been "openly friendly" toward Palestinian militants Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah, both designated by Washington as terrorist groups.
"We know as well that the Cuban regime, for example, hosts not one but two countries' espionage stations within their national territory, 90 miles from the shores of the United States," Rubio said.
Only three other countries are on the list of state sponsors of terror: Iran, North Korea and Syria, where longtime leader Bashar al-Assad was toppled last month.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

World news: The White House did not describe reasons for reversing Biden's order or whether it expected the move to impact freed prisoners.

US President Donald Trump on Monday promptly reversed Joe Biden's decision to remove Cuba from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, announced days earlier as part of a deal to free prisoners. In a statement issued hours after the inauguration, the White House said Trump had rescinded a long series of executive orders, including the decision on Cuba. The Biden administration in its final days last week said it would remove Cuba from the list, which severely impedes foreign investment, in return for a promise to release 553 people -- including Cubans jailed in a crackdown on rare mass protests in 2021. Cuba had gone ahead with releasing prisoners, including opposition leader Daniel Ferrer. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that Trump was acting out of "arrogance and disregard for the truth." "This is not surprising. His goal is to keep accelerating the cruel economic war against Cuba with a goal of domination," he wrote on X. Trump himself had made a decision in his final days in office in 2021 to put Cuba back on the list, reversing a reconciliation drive under former president Barack Obama. The White House did not describe reasons for reversing Biden's order or whether it expected the move to impact freed prisoners. But new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American staunchly opposed to the communist island's government, told his confirmation hearing last week that he had "zero doubt" that Cuba belonged on the list. The last Trump administration in 2021 had also cited Cuba's refusal to extradite back to Colombia members of the militant group ELN. Colombia has since elected a leftist president, Gustavo Petro, who dropped the arrest warrants, although conflict with the ELN has erupted again in recent days, with at least 100 people dead. Rubio told his confirmation hearing that another Colombian guerrilla group, the FARC, "has had the full support of the Cuban regime throughout their entire existence" and that Cuba has been "openly friendly" toward Palestinian militants Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah, both designated by Washington as terrorist groups. "We know as well that the Cuban regime, for example, hosts not one but two countries' espionage stations within their national territory, 90 miles from the shores of the United States," Rubio said. Only three other countries are on the list of state sponsors of terror: Iran, North Korea and Syria, where longtime leader Bashar al-Assad was toppled last month. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Trump reinstates Cuba on state sponsor of terror list: White House

Cuba will release 553 prisoners after the United States removed the country from its list of terrorism sponsors. The White House said President Joe Biden was removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in one of his last official acts before Donald Trump is sworn in next Monday. Watch to know more!

Havana to free prisoners after removal from US terror list

Cuba's national electrical system collapsed early on Wednesday morning (Dec 4) after the country's largest power plant failed, the government said, the latest of several such failures as the island's grid falls into disarray amid fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis.

Authorities are addressing operational issues at the Matanzas power plant with full recovery expected by Thursday (Dec 5) according to Vicente de la O, the country's Energy and Mines Minister.

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Cuba's oil-fired power plants, already obsolete and struggling to keep the lights on, reached a full crisis this year as oil imports from Venezuela, Russia and Mexico dwindled, contributing to multiple nationwide blackouts over two months.

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Work and educational activities were suspended during the contingency, except for basic service providers, said Work and Social Security Minister Marta Elena Feito.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Cuba's national electrical system collapsed early on Wednesday morning (Dec 4) after the country's largest power plant failed, the government said, the latest of several such failures as the island's grid falls into disarray amid fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis.

Cuba's national electrical system collapsed early on Wednesday morning (Dec 4) after the country's largest power plant failed, the government said, the latest of several such failures as the island's grid falls into disarray amid fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis. Authorities are addressing operational issues at the Matanzas power plant with full recovery expected by Thursday (Dec 5) according to Vicente de la O, the country's Energy and Mines Minister. Also read | Tiny island nation ranked 'safest' for travel in 2025. Check out other countries on the list Cuba's oil-fired power plants, already obsolete and struggling to keep the lights on, reached a full crisis this year as oil imports from Venezuela, Russia and Mexico dwindled, contributing to multiple nationwide blackouts over two months. Also read | Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific apologises, removes Family Guy episode over Tiananmen Square reference Work and educational activities were suspended during the contingency, except for basic service providers, said Work and Social Security Minister Marta Elena Feito. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cuba's national power grid collapses after largest plant failure amid ongoing energy crisis

Cuba was left reeling on Thursday after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island and knocked out the country’s power grid. Watch this report for more details!

Cuba Ravaged by Hurricane Rafael | GRAVITAS

Power Outage in Cuba After Hurricane Rafael Makes Landfall

Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed on Wednesday as Hurricane Rafael slammed into the island’s southwest shore, forcing widespread evacuations of tourists and residents.

Hurricane Rafael Lashes Cuba, Power Grid Collapses | GRAVITAS

Hurricane Rafael knocked out power to all of Cuba on Wednesday as it slammed into the cash-strapped island, which was still reeling from a recent blackout and a previous deadly storm.

Rafael strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane as it raced towards the Caribbean island of 10 million people.

It made landfall in western Artemisa province, east of Playa Majana beach, at about 2115 GMT, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The NHC said that Rafael was located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of the capital Havana and packing winds of nearly 115 mph (185 kph).

US meteorologists warned of "a life-threatening storm surge" and flash flooding.

The Union Electrical national power company blamed "strong winds" caused by Rafael for "the shutdown of the national electricity system," in a post on X.

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Nine of Cuba's 15 provinces, including Havana, have been placed on storm alert.

In Candalaria, a town hard hit in Artemisa province, gusting winds took down tree branches and debris littered the streets.

More than 70,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Artemisa and neighboring Pinar del Rio province on the island's westernmost tip.

In Havana, home to two million people, the streets were nearly empty: businesses were closed, several gas stations had their fuel pumps removed and transport services were halted.

The state newspaper Granma said airports in the western part of the country, including in Havana and the resort town of Varadero, had been temporarily shut as a result of the storm.

Rafael is expected to weaken slightly as it crosses the island but remain a hurricane as it emerges over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.

A tropical storm warning is in effect in the Florida Keys.

<h2>- More misery -</h2>

The storm piled fresh misery on Cuba just two weeks after the island was left without power for four days due to the failure of its biggest power plant and a shortage of fuel to produce electricity.

Cuba has for months been suffering hours-long power cuts -- a manifestation of the worst economic crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union, a key ally and financial backer, in the early 1990s.

Last month's blackout, which took several days to fix, coincided with the passage of Hurricane Oscar, which killed eight people in the country.

The office of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Tuesday that it was mobilizing the military to help respond to the storm.

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"We have activated the National Defense Council to provide the maximum attention to the passage of Hurricane Rafael," Diaz-Canel said in a post on X.

"Measures have been taken in each place to protect our people and material resources. As we have always done since the revolution, we will overcome this situation."

Ahead of the storm, state television showed workers clearing drains, collecting garbage and cutting back trees.

In the village of Alquizar, about 50 kilometers southwest of Havana, Liset Herrera, 57, said Wednesday she had been unable to follow the news about Rafael "because there is no electricity."

Further south, in the coastal village of Ganimar, Marisol Valle, a 63-year-old farmer, came home briefly to collect some belongings before the water reached her home near the sea.&nbsp;

"There didn't appear to be a soul left" after the villagers had been evacuated, she said.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Hurricane Rafael knocked out power to all of Cuba on Wednesday as it slammed into the cash-strapped island, which was still reeling from a recent blackout and a previous deadly storm.

Hurricane Rafael knocked out power to all of Cuba on Wednesday as it slammed into the cash-strapped island, which was still reeling from a recent blackout and a previous deadly storm. Rafael strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane as it raced towards the Caribbean island of 10 million people. It made landfall in western Artemisa province, east of Playa Majana beach, at about 2115 GMT, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). The NHC said that Rafael was located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of the capital Havana and packing winds of nearly 115 mph (185 kph). US meteorologists warned of "a life-threatening storm surge" and flash flooding. The Union Electrical national power company blamed "strong winds" caused by Rafael for "the shutdown of the national electricity system," in a post on X. Also Read | PM Modi dials Donald Trump, US Presidential winner calls him 'magnificent man' Nine of Cuba's 15 provinces, including Havana, have been placed on storm alert. In Candalaria, a town hard hit in Artemisa province, gusting winds took down tree branches and debris littered the streets. More than 70,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Artemisa and neighboring Pinar del Rio province on the island's westernmost tip. In Havana, home to two million people, the streets were nearly empty: businesses were closed, several gas stations had their fuel pumps removed and transport services were halted. The state newspaper Granma said airports in the western part of the country, including in Havana and the resort town of Varadero, had been temporarily shut as a result of the storm. Rafael is expected to weaken slightly as it crosses the island but remain a hurricane as it emerges over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. A tropical storm warning is in effect in the Florida Keys. - More misery - The storm piled fresh misery on Cuba just two weeks after the island was left without power for four days due to the failure of its biggest power plant and a shortage of fuel to produce electricity. Cuba has for months been suffering hours-long power cuts -- a manifestation of the worst economic crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union, a key ally and financial backer, in the early 1990s. Last month's blackout, which took several days to fix, coincided with the passage of Hurricane Oscar, which killed eight people in the country. The office of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Tuesday that it was mobilizing the military to help respond to the storm. Also Read | Iran downplays US election as its currency rial hits record low post-Trump win "We have activated the National Defense Council to provide the maximum attention to the passage of Hurricane Rafael," Diaz-Canel said in a post on X. "Measures have been taken in each place to protect our people and material resources. As we have always done since the revolution, we will overcome this situation." Ahead of the storm, state television showed workers clearing drains, collecting garbage and cutting back trees. In the village of Alquizar, about 50 kilometers southwest of Havana, Liset Herrera, 57, said Wednesday she had been unable to follow the news about Rafael "because there is no electricity." Further south, in the coastal village of Ganimar, Marisol Valle, a 63-year-old farmer, came home briefly to collect some belongings before the water reached her home near the sea. "There didn't appear to be a soul left" after the villagers had been evacuated, she said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cuba under nationwide blackout as Hurricane Rafel hits

Hurricane Oscar has made landfall in Northeastern Cuba, an island beleaguered by a massive power outage, after striking the southeastern Bahamas earlier in the day Sunday. WION tells you more in this report.

Hurricane Oscar Makes Landfall on the Northeastern Coast of Cuba

People in Cuba are experiencing countrywide blackout after power plant collapse. The power crisis in Cuba has triggered protest. On Friday Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout after the island's main power plant failed, causing the communist country's electricity grid to collapse, the energy ministry said. Watch our report to know more.

Cuba's Largest Power Plant Collapses, People Protest

Tropical storm Oscar made landfall as a hurricane on Sunday evening in Cuba, where residents were preparing for more chaos and misery as the country grappled with a nearly nationwide power outage in its third day.&nbsp;

The arrival of Oscar, after the Friday collapse of Cuba's largest power plant crippled the whole national grid, piles pressure on a country already battling sky-high inflation and shortages of food, medicine, fuel and water.

Cuba's government said power would be restored to most of the country by Monday evening, with President Miguel Diaz-Canel warning his government would not tolerate public disturbances during the outage.

Oscar was a Category 1 storm when it made landfall in eastern Cuba at 5:50 pm local time (2150 GMT) on Sunday, the US National Hurricane Center said, before it weakened to become a tropical storm.

As of 11:00 pm local time, the storm was packing maximum sustained winds near 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour, and it was expected to continue moving across eastern Cuba into Monday.

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In Baracoa, waves reaching up to 13 feet (four meters) high hit the seafront. Roofs and the walls of houses were damaged, and electricity poles and trees fell, state television reported.

Energy and Mining Minister Vicente de la O Levy told reporters Sunday that electricity would be restored for most Cubans by Monday night, adding that "the last customer may receive service by Tuesday."

The power grid failed in a chain reaction Friday due to the unexpected shutdown of the biggest of the island's eight decrepit coal-fired power plants, according to the head of electricity supply at the energy ministry, Lazaro Guerra.

National electric utility UNE said it had managed to generate a minimal amount of electricity to get power plants restarted on Friday night, but by Saturday morning it was experiencing what official news outlet Cubadebate called "a new, total disconnection of the electrical grid."

Most neighborhoods in Havana remain dark, except for hotels and hospitals with emergency generators and the very few private homes with backup systems.

After three days of no power, "my fridge has defrosted and I'm afraid that everything will be spoiled," said Adismary Cuza, a 56-year-old worker.

"Cubans are tired of so much," added Serguei Castillo, 68.

<h2>- 'Energy emergency' -</h2>

The blackout followed weeks of power outages, lasting up to 20 hours a day in some provinces.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero on Thursday declared an "energy emergency," suspending non-essential public services in order to prioritize electricity supply to homes.&nbsp;

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And on Sunday, President Diaz-Canel warned that the government would act "severely" against anyone who attempted to "disturb public order" during the blackout.

That statement came as witnesses reported residents in several neighborhoods of Havana had taken to the streets on Sunday night to express their discontent.&nbsp;

There are "people in the street making noise with pots and pans, shouting 'Let us have the power back on,'" a resident of the Santo Suarez neighborhood told AFP.&nbsp;

Barricades of trash had also been erected in the Centro neighborhood, AFP photographers saw.

<h2>- Leaving Cuba -</h2>

President Diaz-Canel blamed the situation on Cuba's difficulties in acquiring fuel for its power plants, which he attributed to the tightening, during Donald Trump's presidency, of a six-decade-long US trade embargo.

Cuba is in the throes of its worst economic crisis since the collapse of key ally the Soviet Union in the early 1990s -- marked by soaring inflation and shortages of basic goods. &nbsp;

With no relief in sight, many Cubans have emigrated.

More than 700,000 entered the United States between January 2022 and August 2024, according to US officials.

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While the authorities chiefly blame the US embargo, the island is also feeling the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic battering its critical tourism sector, and of economic mismanagement.

To bolster its grid, Cuba has leased seven floating power plants from Turkish companies and also added many small diesel-powered generators.&nbsp;

In July 2021, blackouts sparked an unprecedented outpouring of public anger.

Thousands of Cubans took to the streets shouting, "We are hungry" and "Freedom!" in a rare challenge to the government.

One person was killed and dozens were injured in the protests. According to the Mexico-based human rights organization Justicia 11J, 600 people detained during the unrest remain in prison.

In 2022, the island also suffered months of daily, hours-long power outages, capped by a nationwide blackout caused by Hurricane Ian.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tropical storm Oscar made landfall as a hurricane on Sunday evening in Cuba, where residents were preparing for more chaos and misery as the country grappled with a nearly nationwide power outage in its third day.

Tropical storm Oscar made landfall as a hurricane on Sunday evening in Cuba, where residents were preparing for more chaos and misery as the country grappled with a nearly nationwide power outage in its third day. The arrival of Oscar, after the Friday collapse of Cuba's largest power plant crippled the whole national grid, piles pressure on a country already battling sky-high inflation and shortages of food, medicine, fuel and water. Cuba's government said power would be restored to most of the country by Monday evening, with President Miguel Diaz-Canel warning his government would not tolerate public disturbances during the outage. Oscar was a Category 1 storm when it made landfall in eastern Cuba at 5:50 pm local time (2150 GMT) on Sunday, the US National Hurricane Center said, before it weakened to become a tropical storm. As of 11:00 pm local time, the storm was packing maximum sustained winds near 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour, and it was expected to continue moving across eastern Cuba into Monday. Also Read | Israel bombs Hezbollah-linked finance group Al-Qard Al-Hassan In Baracoa, waves reaching up to 13 feet (four meters) high hit the seafront. Roofs and the walls of houses were damaged, and electricity poles and trees fell, state television reported. Energy and Mining Minister Vicente de la O Levy told reporters Sunday that electricity would be restored for most Cubans by Monday night, adding that "the last customer may receive service by Tuesday." The power grid failed in a chain reaction Friday due to the unexpected shutdown of the biggest of the island's eight decrepit coal-fired power plants, according to the head of electricity supply at the energy ministry, Lazaro Guerra. National electric utility UNE said it had managed to generate a minimal amount of electricity to get power plants restarted on Friday night, but by Saturday morning it was experiencing what official news outlet Cubadebate called "a new, total disconnection of the electrical grid." Most neighborhoods in Havana remain dark, except for hotels and hospitals with emergency generators and the very few private homes with backup systems. After three days of no power, "my fridge has defrosted and I'm afraid that everything will be spoiled," said Adismary Cuza, a 56-year-old worker. "Cubans are tired of so much," added Serguei Castillo, 68. - 'Energy emergency' - The blackout followed weeks of power outages, lasting up to 20 hours a day in some provinces. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero on Thursday declared an "energy emergency," suspending non-essential public services in order to prioritize electricity supply to homes. Also Read | Climate change and environmental policies of Trump and Harris: A comparison And on Sunday, President Diaz-Canel warned that the government would act "severely" against anyone who attempted to "disturb public order" during the blackout. That statement came as witnesses reported residents in several neighborhoods of Havana had taken to the streets on Sunday night to express their discontent. There are "people in the street making noise with pots and pans, shouting 'Let us have the power back on,'" a resident of the Santo Suarez neighborhood told AFP. Barricades of trash had also been erected in the Centro neighborhood, AFP photographers saw. - Leaving Cuba - President Diaz-Canel blamed the situation on Cuba's difficulties in acquiring fuel for its power plants, which he attributed to the tightening, during Donald Trump's presidency, of a six-decade-long US trade embargo. Cuba is in the throes of its worst economic crisis since the collapse of key ally the Soviet Union in the early 1990s -- marked by soaring inflation and shortages of basic goods. With no relief in sight, many Cubans have emigrated. More than 700,000 entered the United States between January 2022 and August 2024, according to US officials. Also Read | Israeli strikes on northern Gaza kill at least 87 as Beirut attack continues While the authorities chiefly blame the US embargo, the island is also feeling the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic battering its critical tourism sector, and of economic mismanagement. To bolster its grid, Cuba has leased seven floating power plants from Turkish companies and also added many small diesel-powered generators. In July 2021, blackouts sparked an unprecedented outpouring of public anger. Thousands of Cubans took to the streets shouting, "We are hungry" and "Freedom!" in a rare challenge to the government. One person was killed and dozens were injured in the protests. According to the Mexico-based human rights organization Justicia 11J, 600 people detained during the unrest remain in prison. In 2022, the island also suffered months of daily, hours-long power outages, capped by a nationwide blackout caused by Hurricane Ian. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tropical Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in eastern Cuba as island grapples with blackout

Hurricane Oscar made landfall on the Caribbean island, bringing strong winds, a powerful storm surge and rain to parts of eastern Cuba. It is threatening to further complicate the government's efforts to reestablish service, As the island country struggles to restore power after its worst blackout in years. Watch to know more.

Oscar Triggers Widespread Power Outage

Cuba's electrical grid collapsed again early on Saturday (Oct 19) morning, state-run media reported, plunging the entire country into a blackout for a second time just hours after authorities announced they had begun reestablishing service.

CubaDebate, one of the island's state-run media outlets, said Cuba`s grid operator, UNE, had reported at 6:15 am the "total disconnection of the national electro-energetic system."

"The Electric Union is working on its reestablishment," the brief message said.

Cuba`s electrical grid first collapsed around midday on Friday after one of the island`s largest power plants failed, suddenly leaving more than 10 million without power.

Even before the grid`s collapse, an electricity shortfall on Friday had forced Cuba's communist-run government to send non-essential state workers home and cancel school classes for children as it sought to conserve fuel for generation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nationwide-blackout-hits-cuba-millions-without-electricity-after-major-plant-failure-768828">Also read:&nbsp;Nationwide blackout in Cuba: Millions without electricity after major plant failure</a>

But lights began to flicker on in scattered pockets across the island early in the evening on Friday, offering some hope that power would be restored.

The grid operator has not yet provided any details on what caused the grid to collapse again on Saturday, or how long it will take to reestablish service.

Cuba's government has blamed weeks of worsening blackouts - often 10 to 20 hours a day across much of the island - on deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages and rising demand.

Strong winds that began with Hurricane Milton last week had also complicated the island's ability to deliver scarce fuel from boats offshore to feed its power plants, officials have said.

Fuel deliveries to the island have dropped off significantly this year, as Venezuela, Russia and Mexico, once key suppliers, have reduced their exports to Cuba.

Watch |&nbsp;Cuba Suffers Nationwide Power Outage

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Key ally Venezuela slashed by half its deliveries of subsidized fuel to Cuba this year, forcing the island to search elsewhere for far more pricey oil on the spot market.

Cuba's government also blames the U.S. trade embargo, as well as sanctions under then-President Donald Trump, for ongoing difficulties in acquiring fuel and spare parts to operate and maintain its oil-fired plants.

The United States on Friday denied any role in the grid collapse in Cuba.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Cuba's electrical grid collapsed again early on Saturday (Oct 19) morning, state-run media reported, plunging the entire country into a blackout for a second time just hours after authorities announced they had begun reestablishing service.

Cuba's electrical grid collapsed again early on Saturday (Oct 19) morning, state-run media reported, plunging the entire country into a blackout for a second time just hours after authorities announced they had begun reestablishing service. CubaDebate, one of the island's state-run media outlets, said Cuba`s grid operator, UNE, had reported at 6:15 am the "total disconnection of the national electro-energetic system." "The Electric Union is working on its reestablishment," the brief message said. Cuba`s electrical grid first collapsed around midday on Friday after one of the island`s largest power plants failed, suddenly leaving more than 10 million without power. Even before the grid`s collapse, an electricity shortfall on Friday had forced Cuba's communist-run government to send non-essential state workers home and cancel school classes for children as it sought to conserve fuel for generation. Also read: Nationwide blackout in Cuba: Millions without electricity after major plant failure But lights began to flicker on in scattered pockets across the island early in the evening on Friday, offering some hope that power would be restored. The grid operator has not yet provided any details on what caused the grid to collapse again on Saturday, or how long it will take to reestablish service. Cuba's government has blamed weeks of worsening blackouts - often 10 to 20 hours a day across much of the island - on deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages and rising demand. Strong winds that began with Hurricane Milton last week had also complicated the island's ability to deliver scarce fuel from boats offshore to feed its power plants, officials have said. Fuel deliveries to the island have dropped off significantly this year, as Venezuela, Russia and Mexico, once key suppliers, have reduced their exports to Cuba. Watch | Cuba Suffers Nationwide Power Outage × Key ally Venezuela slashed by half its deliveries of subsidized fuel to Cuba this year, forcing the island to search elsewhere for far more pricey oil on the spot market. Cuba's government also blames the U.S. trade embargo, as well as sanctions under then-President Donald Trump, for ongoing difficulties in acquiring fuel and spare parts to operate and maintain its oil-fired plants. The United States on Friday denied any role in the grid collapse in Cuba. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cuba witnesses second total blackout in two days after power grid collapses again

Millions in Cuba are still in Dark. People in Cuba are experiencing countrywide blackout after power plant collapse. Cuba managed to restore limited power to its greed by Friday evening. Although 90% of the island remained without electricity including some of the key hospitals. Watch to know more.

Cuba on Friday experienced a nationwide blackout after the island's main power plant failed, causing the communist country's electricity grid to collapse, the energy ministry said.

"The system was left without power nationwide" after the unexpected shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras power plant, Lazaro Guerra, director general of electricity at the ministry of energy and mines, told state television.

When the thermoelectric plant shut down "the system collapsed," he said, adding the government was working to restore service as soon as possible.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-to-skip-g-20-claims-attending-would-wreck-the-summit-downplays-icc-arrest-warrant-768794">Putin to skip G20: Claims attending would ‘wreck’ the summit</a>

On Thursday, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced the island was in the throes of an "energy emergency," with severe supply shortages leaving some provinces without power for up to 20 hours.

The government on Thursday suspended all non-essential public sector activities in order to prioritize electricity supply to homes.

Cuba gets its power from eight ageing thermal power plants, as well as seven floating plants leased from Turkish companies.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cuba on Friday experienced a nationwide blackout after the island's main power plant failed, causing the communist country's electricity grid to collapse, the energy ministry said.

Cuba on Friday experienced a nationwide blackout after the island's main power plant failed, causing the communist country's electricity grid to collapse, the energy ministry said. "The system was left without power nationwide" after the unexpected shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras power plant, Lazaro Guerra, director general of electricity at the ministry of energy and mines, told state television. When the thermoelectric plant shut down "the system collapsed," he said, adding the government was working to restore service as soon as possible. Also read: Putin to skip G20: Claims attending would ‘wreck’ the summit On Thursday, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced the island was in the throes of an "energy emergency," with severe supply shortages leaving some provinces without power for up to 20 hours. The government on Thursday suspended all non-essential public sector activities in order to prioritize electricity supply to homes. Cuba gets its power from eight ageing thermal power plants, as well as seven floating plants leased from Turkish companies. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nationwide blackout in Cuba: Millions without electricity after major plant failure

Following a Countrywide blackout triggered by the collapse of a major power plant, Cuba managed to restore limited power to its greed by Friday evening. Although 90% of the island remained without electricity including some of the key hospitals. Watch to know more.

Cuba Suffers Nationwide Power Outage

Cuba, Sri Lanka, and Azerbaijan have expressed interest in joining the BRICS bloc, which currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. These nations aim to strengthen economic ties, enhance political influence, and gain access to BRICS' growing global trade network. Expanding the BRICS membership could boost cooperation among developing nations and challenge the dominance of Western-led institutions in global affairs.

Cuba, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan Among Nations Who Want To Join BRICS

Massive rains from powerful Hurricane Helene left people stranded, without shelter and awaiting rescue Saturday, as the cleanup began from a storm that killed at least 56 people, caused widespread destruction across the US Southeast and left millions without power.

Hurricane Helene Aftermath: Death Toll Up 56

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