12 Sep 2019 | 08:06 AM UTC
Cuba: Government warns of fuel and electricity shortages on September 11
Fuel and electricity shortages possible in Cuba, government announces on September 11; associated transportation and commercial disruptions likely
Event
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on Wednesday, September 11, that US sanctions are likely to cause fuel and electricity shortages in the coming several days and possibly weeks. Additional sanctions on shipping firms that typically deliver fuel to Cuba, particularly from Venezuela, are the cause to the impending shortages. A lack of diesel fuel and other factors bring the threat of immediate shortages.
Should there be fuel shortages, transportation disruptions are to be expected. President Diaz-Canel stated that in this situation cutbacks would be implemented.
Context
President Donald Trump has generally sought to scale back US engagement with Cuba, prohibiting financial transactions with Cuban enterprises managed by the military in June 2017 and threatening to close the US Embassy in Havana, which opened in August 2018. He imposed further sanctions via travel restrictions in June 2019.
Advice
Individuals in Cuba are advised to closely monitor updates to the situation, refer to advisories issued by local authorities, stock up on fuel where possible, consider keeping road movements to a minimum until the situation normalizes, and anticipate power and telecommunication disruptions.
