The Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged this Thursday that blackouts have intensified in Havana and other provinces due to the regime's decision to prioritize electricity for the economy, amidst a context of acute fuel shortages and deterioration of the national energy system.
During an extensive televised appearance, the leader aimed to present a positive assessment of the previous year, which he described as one of the most challenging due to the "harassment" from the United States, the lack of foreign currency, and the decline in Venezuelan oil supplies.
However, his words led to an open admission: the Cuban population suffers from more blackouts because the regime has decided to allocate the limited available energy to keep agricultural and industrial production running, a situation worsened by the fact that since December 2025, Venezuelan oil has not been arriving.
"Until 2025, we prioritized electricity for the population, but the economy was stagnant. This year, we decided to focus more energy on the economy, even if it comes at the expense of the population," stated Díaz-Canel.
The leader insisted that part of the energy is dedicated to irrigating crops, especially rice, and to the reactivation of state-owned factories, arguing that the population "also benefits from what the economy produces."
The statements, which caused discontent among social and business sectors, confirm that the Cuban regime operates an energy management system focused on survival, prioritizing centralized production and political control over citizen welfare.
Díaz-Canel stated that last year the country managed to recover more than 900 megawatts in what is known as distributed generation—local power plants that operate on diesel or fuel oil—but acknowledged that these advancements have had little effect due to the lack of fuel.
"We have been weeks with zero distributed generation," he said, acknowledging that the deficits during peak hours usually exceed 1,800 or 2,000 megawatts.
In an effort to showcase achievements, the leader mentioned the installation of 49 photovoltaic parks with a capacity of over 1,000 megawatts, which would have increased the share of renewable energy in national generation from 3 to 10 percent.
However, he acknowledged that the real impact of that investment is barely noticeable, as the lack of fuel and breakdowns in the thermoelectric plants keep the system in a critical state.
"If we hadn't had those thousand megawatts of solar power, the country would be systematically experiencing blackout after blackout," the leader asserted, although he admitted that daytime outages have increased due to a combination of equipment failures, fuel shortages, and lower solar intensity.
Díaz-Canel tried to explain that, compared to previous years, the daytime blackouts are similar in number, but their duration and frequency increase when the regime decides to keep certain industries and plantations operational.
"We are putting a bit more energy into the economy during the day because if the economy doesn't produce, the problems worsen," he said, trying to justify a strategy that has increased public discontent.
The ruler also revealed that the regime has initiated a "defense preparation plan" and that the National Defense Council has approved "the necessary measures" to activate the State of War if needed.
According to him, Cuba "is not at war," but is updating its military system in response to the "increasing aggressiveness" of the United States in the region.
The Cuban energy crisis worsened following the decisions of U.S. President Donald Trump, who on January 3 ordered the cessation of the flow of Venezuelan oil to the island after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
Days later, the White House imposed additional tariffs and sanctions on companies and governments supplying fuel to the Cuban regime, severely limiting its import capacity.
Without stable access to oil, insufficient reserves, and deteriorated thermal plants, Cuba is experiencing one of the longest periods of blackouts in the last decade.
The cuts affect the supply of water, transportation, food refrigeration, and hospital services, worsening the overall decline in living conditions.
In neighborhoods of Havana, the situation is particularly critical: power outages exceed six hours daily in some municipalities, while the Government asks for "understanding" and assures that this is a temporary sacrifice.
However, Cubans perceive that the measures of the dictatorship aim to sustain its productive and control apparatus, rather than to alleviate the suffering of the population.
Díaz-Canel once again blamed Washington for the fuel shortages and stated that "Cuba is a country of peace" that poses no threat to the United States.
But his words contrast with the reality of an exhausted country, lacking energy autonomy, subjected to continuous blackouts, and under a regime that insists on justifying the crisis as a result of external pressures.
Meanwhile, the Donald Trump administration remains firm in its policy of economic suffocation against the Cuban dictatorship, conditioning any relief or negotiation on real changes in human rights and political openness on the island.
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