At 6.32pm on Saturday, Cuba went dark for the second time in a week, as its power grid collapsed under mounting pressure following US President Donald Trump’s grip choked oil supplies to the island.The outage, triggered by the failure of a single power plant, cascaded across the country and much of the island was left without electricity, communication or clarity on when supply would be restored.One plant, nationwide collapseThe blackout began when a major power plant in Nuevitas, in eastern Camaguey province, failed and went offline, grid operator UNE said. This disruption set off a cascade effect, knocking out electricity across the country.The latest crisis comes after Trump moved to block oil flows from Venezuela, which had long supplied Cuba on favourable terms.Since then, Washington has cut off Venezuelan exports to the island and warned of punitive tariffs on other countries supplying oil. Cuba has long blamed the US trade embargo for its economic and infrastructure challenges, including its ageing power grid, while Washington has attributed the shortfalls to the island’s state-controlled economic model.Life in the darkIn Havana, the outage disrupted people’s routines. Shortly after sunrise, residents gathered on doorsteps, speaking with neighbours, swatting mosquitoes and waiting out the blackout. An electric tricycle transports customers during a blackout in Havana, Cuba (AP Photo)“Life doesn’t change. We’re stuck in the same rut,” said Leoni Alberto, who said he has had to cook with firewood at least twice a week due to the outages. “It’s absolute madness. There’s no other way around it,” Reuters reported him saying.Story continues below this adCellular and internet services were almost entirely unavailable in most areas, leaving many without any form of communication.Emergency patchworkBy early Sunday, Cuba’s energy and mines ministry said it had activated “microsystems”, smaller, isolated circuits, across all provinces to restore power to critical services such as hospitals, water supply and food distribution. A vendor lights her way with a battery-powered lamp while waiting for customers on the Malecón during a blackout in Havana, Cuba (AP Photo)The country’s two gas-fired plants operated by Energas were running in Varadero and Boca de Jaruco, and electricity had reached the nearby Santa Cruz oil-fired plant, the ministry said.Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said the effort was underway under “very complex circumstances”.Story continues below this adA crisis intensifyingSaturday’s collapse marks the third major nationwide outage this month and the second in just a week, an energy crisis even by Cuba’s recent standards.The grid has been unreliable for months, leaving residents without power for hours at a time even in relatively stable periods. But back-to-back nationwide failures are rare, pointing to mounting systemic stress, news agency Reuters reported.The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Cubadonald trump