Cuba faces 20-hour power cuts as US blockade costs N$134bn
Cuba is experiencing severe power outages lasting over 20 hours, which the government attributes to the long-standing US economic blockade. A report presented by the Cuban ambassador to Namibia claims the sanctions have caused billions in losses and hindered access to essential goods and healthcare.
Why it matters
The ongoing energy crisis in Cuba underscores the humanitarian and economic impact of international sanctions on civilian infrastructure.
Cuban households are enduring power cuts lasting more than 20 hours as the country blames the United States’ economic blockade for worsening its energy crisis.
Havana estimates that the sanctions cost the island N$133.9 billion in one year.
Cuba’s ambassador to Namibia, Sergio Luis Vigoa de la Uz, presented the findings during a media briefing last week on the country’s 2026 report on the impact of the United States’ economic, commercial and financial blockade.
The report estimates that Cuba suffered damages of N$133.9 billion between March 2025 and February 2026, a 7% increase compared with the previous reporting period.
Cumulative losses have reached N$2.96 trillion at current prices, according to the report.
When adjusted for the rise in gold prices against the US dollar, the figure climbs to nearly N$64.6 trillion.
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