Cuba revives 1990s rationing plan as US oil sanctions tighten

Monday 16 February 2026 - 16:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Cuba revives 1990s rationing plan as US oil sanctions tighten

Cuba is confronting its most severe fuel shortage since the collapse of the Soviet Union as oil sanctions imposed by the Trump administration intensify, prompting the government to activate emergency rationing measures while Washington simultaneously delivers humanitarian aid through the Catholic Church.

Havana announced it is implementing what it calls “Option Zero,” a contingency plan first devised during the 1990s Special Period. The strategy предусматриes strict fuel rationing, a push for local food self sufficiency and the use of animal traction for transportation. President Miguel Díaz Canel recently confirmed that the country has entered this phase, pledging to guarantee seven pounds of rice per person each month and prioritizing domestically produced goods.

The crisis escalated after President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14380 on January 29, 2026, declaring a national emergency and authorizing tariffs on goods from any country that sells oil to Cuba, directly or indirectly. The order cited allegations that Cuba supports hostile state actors, including Russia, China and Iran, as well as designated terrorist organizations.

Cuba’s fuel supplies deteriorated sharply following a US military operation in early January that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, severing the island’s access to its main source of discounted crude oil. Bloomberg News reported that Cuba relies on imports for roughly 60 percent of the approximately 100,000 barrels of oil it needs daily to power its aging electricity grid.

Mexico, previously another significant supplier, halted crude shipments under pressure from Washington. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, however, dispatched two navy vessels carrying more than 814 tons of humanitarian supplies to Havana last week.

The island’s power grid is under severe strain. CiberCuba reported that prolonged blackouts have left more than 60 percent of the country without electricity during peak hours, with the power deficit nearing 2,000 megawatts. Satellite imagery analysis by Bloomberg showed nighttime light emissions in eastern cities such as Santiago de Cuba and Holguín falling by as much as 50 percent compared with historical averages.

Fuel shortages have also disrupted tourism, a vital source of revenue for Cuba. Aviation fuel is unavailable at the country’s nine international airports at least through mid March, prompting Air Canada to suspend flights until May 2026. More than 30 major hotels in Varadero and the northern cays have closed, with remaining visitors consolidated into a limited number of facilities. Organizers have postponed the annual Habanos cigar festival, originally scheduled for late February.

In a parallel development, the US State Department announced on February 5 that it would deliver a second shipment of humanitarian aid worth 6 million dollars to Cuba, following an earlier package valued at 3 million dollars. The supplies, consisting of food and hygiene products, are being distributed directly by the Catholic Church to bypass the Cuban government. Seven containers arrived in Santiago de Cuba on February 10.

United Nations officials have sharply criticized the sanctions. Secretary General António Guterres warned that Cuba’s humanitarian situation could deteriorate or even collapse if its oil needs are not met, while UN human rights experts described the restrictions as a massive violation of human rights.

Cuba’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, called the measures a serious breach of international law. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded that the Cuban government must implement political and economic freedoms in exchange for easing restrictions.