Cuba Faces Severe Humanitarian Crisis Amid US Blockade and Fuel Shortage

Cuba is experiencing one of its most severe humanitarian crises in decades, with a sharp fuel shortage and the breakdown of essential services bringing daily life to a halt for approximately 11 million residents.

The country faces paralysis in vital services due to an almost complete depletion of fuel supplies. This situation is directly linked to the removal of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, which cut off Cuba’s main ally and oil supplier.

According to the United Nations, around one million Cubans have lost reliable access to water because transport trucks lack sufficient diesel fuel. Additionally, over 96,000 planned surgeries have been canceled, and the vaccination program for newborn children has been suspended.

Sebastián Arcus, the interim director of the Cuban Studies Institute (FIU), described the situation to Axios as “horrific, truly horrific.” He added, “Honestly, I don’t think it can endure another six months. It can’t endure another three months.”

This crisis coincides with an escalation in pressure by President Donald Trump’s administration aimed at regime change in Havana. Mark Caputo, a close adviser to Trump, characterized the US approach as “classic Trump”: “Push your opponent off balance. It’s pressure, then watch the response, then apply more pressure, watch the response, then apply more pressure.”

However, officials warn that removing the Castro family from power, which has led the country since the 1959 revolution, may not necessarily result in the regime’s collapse, especially given the absence of clear alternatives endorsed by Washington. With the intensifying summer heat worsening the population’s suffering, sources indicate that President Trump might feel compelled to take more drastic measures to alleviate the humanitarian disaster.

While diplomacy and political negotiations continue behind the scenes, ordinary Cubans face harsh realities including prolonged electricity outages, shortages of food and medicine. This ongoing crisis represents an existential challenge for the island’s political system.