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Havana is experiencing one of its worst tourist seasons in years, and the impact is already felt in empty hotels, massive cancellations, and increasingly dark streets.
A report by The Irish Times describes a Cuban capital hit hard by the fuel crisis and the collapse of tourism, in a context marked by decisions from President Donald Trump's administration.
The Irish newspaper captures the testimony of Marco Alonso, an Airbnb host in Havana, who sums up the moment with a powerful statement: "When I talk to clients, everyone cancels and mentions Trump."
According to reports, many travelers have abandoned their plans following the cut in Venezuelan oil supply to the island and the pressure from Washington for Mexico to suspend its fuel shipments.
Alonso manages a private guesthouse, part of the rise of private accommodations that emerged after the economic liberalization of the last decade. Today, he faces a very different scenario.
“There was a time when I would have said, ‘The situation is bad, but we have options’… I am the face of this hotel, and I can no longer lie. I know that what the guests say is true,” he confesses. And he poses a question that encapsulates the moment: “Do they really want an immersive experience when going out onto the street when it’s completely dark?”
The report describes the closure of more than two dozen state-owned hotels, including the Raquel Hotel in Old Havana. In the midst of tourist season, its lobby is lit only by a guard who turns on the lights in front of an empty counter and a staircase blocked with red tape.
Cuba has gone a month without receiving oil or fuel. The island relies on imports to meet about 60% of its energy needs, and the deficit has led to the closure of more than two dozen state-run hotels during the peak season. Among them is the Raquel Hotel in Old Havana, where, according to reports, a guard turns on lights that illuminate a lobby devoid of guests and staff.
The crisis does not only affect large state complexes. It is estimated that around 300,000 Cubans depend directly or indirectly on tourism, one of the main sources of foreign currency for the country. Revenues from the sector fell by 70% between 2019 and 2025, according to data cited in the report.
Osniel Díaz, 34 years old, experiences life behind the wheel of his classic car from the 1950s. During the thaw between 2015 and 2016, he earned between 300 and 400 dollars a day driving tourists, many of them Americans, along the Malecón and the Plaza de la Revolución.
"Americans and Europeans like the same things. The only difference is that Americans pay more," he says. This February, there were days when he had no customers at all. If his income drops below 60 dollars a day, he claims it will be more profitable for him to drive for La Nave, a local transportation app.
At night, with most buses out of service, transportation requests surge and the bike taxis fill the gap. Havana, the medium describes, is operating at half capacity.
Several airlines have also suspended operations due to a lack of aviation fuel, and countries like Russia and Canada have started to repatriate their citizens. Ireland, for its part, has recommended avoiding non-essential travel to Cuba due to the "increasingly serious economic and humanitarian situation."
But the blow is not only economic. Shayra Pernia, 39, who normally works in the realm of sexual tourism, claims that the atmosphere has changed. "We are in a climate of panic," she asserts.
She explains that fewer and fewer foreigners are contacting her because "even the tourists know that gasoline is scarce and the service in hotels is tedious." With frequent blackouts and a reduced police presence on the streets, she says the city has become more dangerous. "The city feels like a ghost town… Before, we used to see police patrols in Havana. Now we don’t see them; we are alone."
The Cuban Deputy Prime Minister, Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, stated on state television that the government has implemented a plan to reduce energy consumption and optimize the peak season, although he did not provide details about new immediate supplies.
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