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The fuel crisis in Cuba threatens the survival of thousands of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes) and has a significant impact on the entire private sector.
An analysis by the consulting firm Auge, based on data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), reveals that 8,904 of the 9,236 mipymes registered in the country —96.4%— are facing severe or critical impacts due to energy shortages.
In the informal market, the price of a liter of fuel exceeds six dollars. In this scenario, thousands of Cuban entrepreneurs operate, relying on diesel to transport goods, produce food, or keep their businesses open.
The study indicates that 7,491 small and medium-sized enterprises (81.1%) belong to sectors where fuel is an essential part of the production process. Another 1,413 (15.3%) could close if the crisis continues. Only 332 companies (3.6%) would have the actual capacity to endure without compromising their existence.
Havana accounts for 43% of the total small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with 3,966 companies. What happens in the capital regarding power outages and access to fuel directly impacts almost half of the sector.
The problem was already reflected in the 2025 Business Climate Study, which surveyed 175 executives. 48% reported having invested in solar panels, power plants, or batteries. 52% were unable to bear that cost, and now their companies are at greater risk.
The private sector in Cuba is dynamic, but very vulnerable
The mipymes are not a marginal player. They emerged following the opening that began in 2010 and have become the most dynamic segment of the national economy. Behind every statistic are families and life projects.
However, the reliance on a collapsed electrical system places them at a structural disadvantage.
The lack of fuel halts transportation, manufacturing, commerce, and services. It also impacts the Cuban self-employed workers and agricultural producers, who need diesel to transport food from the fields to markets, restaurants, and other private businesses.
Official decisions and pressure to import fuels
In recent days, it has been reported that the government of Cuba has authorized the importation of fuel by non-state actors. This measure comes amid new economic pressures from the United States, which has imposed tariffs on countries supplying oil to the Island.
For years, the private sector requested permission to import fuel without receiving a public response. Now, with 8,904 companies at risk, the crisis is no longer sector-specific. It has turned into a systemic threat to almost the entire Cuban private sector, which the regime refers to as "non-state management forms."
The energy situation is impacting small and medium-sized enterprises, and few will be able to survive if the supply of fuels does not stabilize in the short term in Cuba.
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