Cuba has announced a big new plan to protect essential services and ration fuel as it deals with a deepening energy crisis triggered by U.S. pressure on oil supplies. The move underscores how the island nation is scrambling to keep basic services running while facing growing shortages.
The government said it will ration fuel and guarantee limited supplies for vital areas such as health care, education, agriculture, water systems and defense. Officials presented the plan after warnings from U.S. officials that countries exporting oil to Cuba could face tariffs, a threat that has already reduced oil deliveries to the Caribbean nation.
Cuba’s Commerce Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva spoke on television, saying the government will not collapse under pressure and has a strategy to get through the crisis. The plan also includes keeping fuel flowing to Cuba’s tourism and export sectors, such as its famous cigar industry, to help bring in foreign money needed to support other programs.
While air travel won’t be immediately cut, everyday drivers will face less fuel at gas stations until supplies improve. The government also plans to protect ports and domestic transport systems so that the island can still move products in and out despite the shortages.
Cuba is also reacting to shortages by encouraging renewable energy use and changes in farming. Officials said fuel limits will push Cuba to rely more on solar power, irrigation systems without fuel, and even animal-powered farming for a time. A large project to plant 200,000 hectares of rice is part of the plan to boost food production and reduce dependence on imported energy.
Education and health care will remain priorities, with primary schools and child-care centers staying open in person. Secondary schools and universities may shift to hybrid learning, meaning a mix of in-class and online lessons. Health services like emergency care, maternity wards and cancer treatment will also be protected as fuel supplies tighten.
The energy squeeze comes as the U.S. under President Donald Trump has cut off Venezuelan oil shipments, a key source for Cuba, and signaled threats against other suppliers like Mexico, deepening fuel shortages and leading to widespread blackouts and hardship for everyday Cubans.
Cuba’s government says it will endure and adjust, while critics warn the measures reflect a serious crisis that may affect daily life across the island.
