Energy crisis and protests in Cuba

Cuba is facing its most severe energy crisis in decades, characterized by nationwide blackouts caused by a critical shortage of fuel. Government officials, including Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy, have confirmed that the country has exhausted its diesel and crude oil reserves. Protests erupted in Havana on Wednesday, with residents blocking streets and chanting slogans against the prolonged power outages. Sources differ on the cause of the crisis: the Cuban government attributes the situation to the ongoing U.S. embargo, while U.S. officials, such as Marco Rubio, point to internal economic mismanagement. Amid the instability, Cuba has expressed a willingness to consider a $100 million aid proposal from the United States. However, the U.S. has conditioned this assistance on the involvement of the Catholic Church for distribution, bypassing the government. The crisis has been further exacerbated by a major failure at the nation's primary power plant in Matanzas province.