Cuba in Limbo: Amid Energy Crisis and Mass Exodus

• Cuba is facing national paralysis due to an energy crisis, skyrocketing inflation, and an unprecedented exodus of its youth.
• Since December 2025, threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to sanction any nation exporting oil to the island have severely exacerbated the energy shortages.
• Official figures show over 1.2 million people left between 2021 and 2024; demographic research suggests the loss is closer to 2.1 million, or 20% of the total population.

The Energy and Economic Collapse

• Regular blackouts affect most of the population, leaving only those with private solar panels or generators with consistent power.
• Fuel shortages have caused cascading effects: water pumps fail, telecommunications and internet repeaters go down, and public transportation has largely ceased.
• Economic activity is stalled, forcing reduced working hours, suspended university classes, and the use of oxen in place of tractors for farming.

Social Impact

• Many retirees are forced back into the workforce to supplement insufficient pensions.
• Households frequently lack cooking gas, with many families—including elderly residents—returning to using artisanal charcoal stoves.
• The population, especially those aged 25 to 40, sees little future on the island, contributing to a massive demographic drain.

Outlook

• The nation remains in a state of suspended animation, waiting for the outcome of erratic negotiations between the Cuban government and the U.S.
• Citizens express a strong desire for change, but there is no consensus or clear path regarding what that future will look like.