Protests break out in Havana during Cuba's worst blackouts in decades - as minister says 'we have no fuel'

Protests have broken out in Havana as Cuba deals with it's worst rolling blackouts in decades.

It followed the country's energy minister admitting on state-run TV that "we have absolutely no fuel" amid the Trump administration's blockade of oil to the island.

Vicente de la O Levy added that blackouts in Cuba have increased dramatically over the past week, with many districts of Havana without power for 20 to 22 hours a day.

Overnight, hundreds took to the streets of the capital, blocking roads with burning piles of rubbish, banging pots, and shouting "turn on the lights".

According to Reuters, multiple groups of peaceful protesters were seen across the capital, making Wednesday night the biggest single night of demonstrations since the country's energy crisis began.

The news agency reported that when power returned to an area where a protest was taking place, crowds would cheer and then quickly disperse.

It added that there was a heavy police presence at each site, but noted security forces largely stood by to observe.

Cuba has seen energy shortages, blackouts, and grid failures increase since January, when US President Donald Trump furthered a decades-long blockade by signing an executive order imposing trade tariffs on countries exporting oil to Havana.

He and other Republican politicians have suggested Cuba could be the next country targeted by the US military, and the president has stated he wants to oust the country's communist-run government.

January also saw the US military capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, which led to critical petroleum shipments from South America being halted.

The Caribbean country had already been struggling with a crumbling electric grid, generation deficits and interruptions in fuel supplies.

Watch chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay's report from Cuba below:

Minister: 'We have absolutely no fuel'

The protests followed Mr O Levy's remarks on state media, where he said Cuba's power grid had reached a "critical" state.

"We have absolutely no fuel, and absolutely no diesel," he added. "We have no reserves."

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The energy minister also said negotiations on fuel imports are ongoing, but said the US and Israel's war with Iran was complicating talks.

"Cuba is open to anyone that wants to sell us fuel," the minister said.

Only a single large oil tanker, the Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin, has delivered crude oil to Cuba since December, delivering more than 700,000 barrels in March in what Washington described as a humanitarian move.

(c) Sky News 2026: Protests break out in Havana during Cuba's worst blackouts in decades - as minister says