U.S. sanctions and geopolitical escalation deepen Cuba’s systemic energy crisis amid global power struggles

Cuba’s energy crisis intersects with Afro-Cuban spiritual traditions that view resource scarcity as a symptom of disrupted communal harmony, not merely technical failure. Indigenous Arawak and Taíno knowledge, though erased in mainstream narratives, offers models of decentralized energy use tied to ecological balance. The embargo’s blockade on fuel imports also disrupts traditional medicinal practices reliant on imported herbs, compounding health crises alongside blackouts.

The U.S. embargo on Cuba, codified in 1960 and expanded under the Torricelli (1992) and Helms-Burton (1996) Acts, is the longest-running economic sanctions regime in modern history, designed to ‘bring about hunger, desperation, and the overthrow of government.’ Parallels exist with U.S. interventions in Iran (1953 coup), Chile (1973), and Venezuela (ongoing), where sanctions preceded regime change. Cuba’s energy grid, built in the 1970s with Soviet support, was never modernized due to U.S. restrictions, creating structural vulnerabilities exploited today.

In Venezuela, blackouts during U.S. sanctions were framed similarly as ‘state failure,’ ignoring the role of cyberattacks (e.g., 2019) and corporate sabotage in destabilizing infrastructure. African nations like Zimbabwe, under U.S. sanctions since 2001, have developed parallel currencies and barter systems to bypass dollar-denominated trade, a model Cuba could adapt. The Non-Aligned Movement, which Cuba co-founded, has repeatedly condemned U.S. sanctions as violations of international law, yet this context is absent in Western media.

Studies show that U.S. sanctions reduce Cuba’s GDP by 1–2% annually, with energy imports particularly targeted, leading to chronic underinvestment in grid maintenance. The embargo’s ‘secondary sanctions’ deter foreign companies from supplying Cuba, forcing reliance on aging Soviet-era infrastructure prone to blackouts. Cuba’s biotechnology sector, despite sanctions, has pioneered low-cost vaccines and renewable energy projects, demonstrating resilience but limited scalability due to fuel shortages.

Cuban artists like Tania Bruguera and communities in Havana’s *solares* (tenement houses) have long used art to critique energy precarity, framing blackouts as moments of collective reflection. Afro-Cuban religious practices, such as *Santería* ceremonies, often incorporate candles and communal energy rituals, highlighting the spiritual dimension of resource scarcity. The embargo’s blockade on cultural exports (e.g., music, literature) further isolates Cuba’s creative resistance, turning art into a tool of systemic critique.

Scenario modeling suggests that without sanctions relief, Cuba’s energy grid will collapse by 2030, triggering mass migration and further destabilizing the Caribbean. Alternative futures include a decentralized energy model using solar microgrids (already piloted in rural areas) and barter trade with allies like Russia or China to bypass dollar constraints. The U.S. could face international backlash if it escalates military threats, potentially uniting Global South nations against unilateral coercion.

Black Cubans, who face higher poverty rates, are disproportionately affected by blackouts, yet their experiences are sidelined in favor of elite dissident narratives. Women, who bear the brunt of household energy burdens, are rarely consulted in energy policy discussions. Cuban LGBTQ+ activists argue that sanctions exacerbate discrimination by limiting access to international aid for marginalized groups, a dimension ignored in Western coverage.