Cuba is facing what observers describe as its deepest economic crisis since the 1959 revolution. The situation worsened sharply after the oil blockade imposed by the administration of Donald Trump: authorities announced that Jet A-1 fuel would be unavailable at the country’s airports from February 10 to March 11, 2026.
As a result, Russian airlines operated evacuation flights for tourists, and the last previously announced services from Holguin and Varadero to Moscow departed on February 21. Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat said they were suspending flights, while some European carriers rerouted planes to refuel in third countries.
The blow has hit tourism, one of Cuba’s main sources of foreign currency. In 2025, the island received 2.6 million visitors, down 18% year on year and the lowest figure since 2002. The largest number came from Canada, with 754,000 visitors, followed by Russia with 131,900.
At the same time, the crisis has affected essential public systems. During peak demand, more than 60% of the country is left without electricity, with outages in the provinces lasting up to 20 hours a day. Power and fuel shortages have left hundreds of thousands without water, while the lack of gasoline for municipal services has led to mounting waste and growing sanitation risks.
In late 2025, the authorities acknowledged a rise in arboviral infections, including dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Infant mortality increased to 9.8 per 1,000 live births, up from 7 a year earlier. State media also reported that at times there was not even enough fuel for hearses.
According to the Observatory of Social Rights, 89% of families live in extreme poverty, and seven in ten Cubans are forced to skip at least one daily meal. Against this backdrop, Washington says it is in contact with Havana and links any easing of pressure to political liberalization and deeper economic reforms, but the Cuban authorities have so far shown little readiness for major concessions.