‘Absolutely no fuel’: Cuba hit by blackouts, protests amid power outages

Al Jazeera · 🇶🇦 public Qatar · May 14, 2026 · 645 words · By Elizabeth Melimopoulos

Energy crisis US-Cuba Diplomatic Tensions Civil Unrest

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What to know about Energy crisis

‘Absolutely no fuel’: Cuba hit by blackouts, protests amid power outages Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns.

Claims checked 13

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left20%

Center60%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

‘Absolutely no fuel’: Cuba hit by blackouts, protests amid power outages Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns.

Why it matters

Cuba has been hit by worsening power outages after the island’s communist government said fuel reserves had run out, as rare protests erupted in neighbourhoods around the capital, Havana.

Common ground

Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on Thursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns, while demonstrations over the blackouts broke out in western areas near Havana.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Energy crisis story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Since then, only one Russian tanker has reportedly reached the island?
How does this story connect Energy crisis with US-Cuba Diplomatic Tensions over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/14/absolutely-no-fuel-cuba-hit-by-blackout…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 95% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 80% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 13 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

schedule Pending 3

help Insufficient Evidence 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “Since then, only one Russian tanker has reportedly reached the island”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results to confirm or deny the number of Russian tankers that reached the island.

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Claim 2: “demonstrations over the blackouts broke out in western areas near Havana”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Al Jazeera, KNEWS.MEDIA, and other web reports) confirm protests broke out in Havana and surrounding western areas due to blackouts.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Cuba has been hit by worsening power outages after the island’s communist government said fuel reserves had run out, as rare protests erupted in neighbourhoods around the capital, Havana.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/14/absolutely-no-fuel-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Protests in Havana. This is a reaction to Donald Trump's policies. Peaceful groups of residents gathered in many parts of the city to express their dissatisfaction with the prolonged power outages.
https://knews.media/2026/05/14/havana-is-in-darkness-protest…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Massive protests in Havana on May 13: bonfires, pot-banging, and internet shutdown in Santos Suárez and at least ten other municipalities in the capital.
https://en.cibercuba.com/noticias/2026-05-14-u1-e208574-s270…

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Claim 3: “the country was expected to face a deficit of more than 2,000 megawatts during the evening’s peak demand hours”

CORROBORATED

Radio Habana Nueva and other sources specifically report President Miguel Díaz-Canel projecting a deficit of over 2,000 MW during peak hours on Wednesday, May 13th.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A series of interruptions to the nationwide electrical service of Cuba occurred during the months of February, March, October and December 2024. The blackouts began in February 2024 with power outages…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–2026_Cuba_blackouts

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Black Wednesday, or the 1992 sterling crisis, was a financial crisis that occurred on 16 September 1992 when the UK Government was forced to withdraw sterling from the (first) European Exchange Rate M…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Wednesday

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The music of Cuba, including its instruments, performance, and dance, comprises a large set of unique traditions influenced mostly by west African and European (especially Spanish) music. Due to the s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Cuba

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: ““We have absolutely no fuel, oil, and absolutely no diesel,” Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said during a late Wednesday news conference”

CORROBORATED

The specific quote from Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy is reported by Al Jazeera and multiple other news outlets reporting on the Wednesday news conference.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This article covers events in the year 2026 in Cuba.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_Cuba

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Cuba has a developing command economy dominated by state-run enterprises. The Communist Party of Cuba maintains high levels of public sector control and exerts significant influence over the Cuban eco…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Cuba

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 5: “Cuba’s electricity system depends on eight ageing thermoelectric plants, some operating for more than 40 years”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 6: “US Secretary of State Marco Rubio renewed an offer of $100m in aid for Cuba, on the condition that the assistance be distributed through the Catholic Church rather than the Cuban government”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 7: “The island, home to about 10 million people”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and Worldometer provide population data for Cuba; while the 2012 census was 11.2 million, current estimates (9.75M to 10.8M) place the population around 10 million.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A-10 Cuba! is a flight simulator computer game developed by Parsoft Interactive and published by Activision in 1996 for Windows and Mac. The game was a sequel to the Mac-exclusive A-10 Attack!. A thir…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-10_Cuba!

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country in the Caribbean. It comprises the eponymous main island as well as 4,195 islands, islets, and cays. Situated at the convergence of the Cari…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis in Cuba (Spanish: Crisis de Octubre), or the Caribbean Crisis (Russian: Карибский кризис, romanized: Karibskiy krizis), was a 13-day confront…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “the United States tightened restrictions on fuel shipments to Cuba [in January]”

CORROBORATED

Al Jazeera and other reports state that the energy crisis worsened in January after the US tightened restrictions on fuel shipments.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Cuba’s fragile power grid buckles under fuel shortages. The island’s energy crisis worsened in January after the United States tightened restrictions on fuel shipments to Cuba, which officials in Hava…
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/14/absolutely-no-fuel-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Fuel shipments are leaving South Florida for Cuba. It’s a low-profile operation that has gained momentum in recent weeks, before the Trump administration authorized a Russian oil tanker to reach the i…
https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-03-30/fuel-shi…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Cuba has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil, the country’s energy minister said on Wednesday, as Havana faces its worst rolling blackouts in decades amid a US blockade that has strangled the is…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/14/cuba-us-energy…

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Claim 9: “people had protested the power cuts by banging pots and pans on Wednesday evening”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including AFP (via Al Jazeera) and other reports, confirm residents of San Miguel del Padrón and other Havana neighborhoods protested by banging pots and pans.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A resident of San Miguel del Padron, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Havana, told the AFP news agency that people had protested the power cuts by banging pots and pans on Wednesday evening.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/14/absolutely-no-fuel-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Just like on Leonardo Street, other Havana neighborhoods have taken the same action, and the sound of banging pots and pans can be heard in areas of Central Havana, San Miguel del Padrón, La Lisa, and…
https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-03-11/disconte…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Residents of San Miguel del Padrón, a district in eastern Havana, staged a loud protest on Wednesday in front of the municipal government building, demanding electricity and food. The demonstrators, d…
https://www.cubaheadlines.com/articles/329128

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Claim 10: “Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on Thursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns”

CORROBORATED

Al Jazeera and other web results confirm that large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on a Thursday due to nationwide shutdowns.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country in the Caribbean. It comprises the eponymous main island as well as 4,195 islands, islets, and cays.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on Thursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns, while demonstrations over the blackouts broke out in western areas near Hava…
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/14/absolutely-no-fuel-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Kenya Power listed eight counties, including Nairobi, to face an electricity shutdown on Tuesday, May 12. Photo: Kenya Power. Source: Facebook. The interruption, which will affect eight counties for u…
https://www.tuko.co.ke/kenya/625883-kenya-power-lists-8-coun…

schedule

Claim 11: “Cubans have endured repeated nationwide blackouts since 2024”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 12: “about 1,100 megawatts of power generation had already been lost on Wednesday due to fuel shortages”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the general fuel shortage is corroborated, the specific figure of 1,100 MW lost on Wednesday is not explicitly repeated across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Cuba has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil, the country's energy minister Vicente de la O Levy has said.Scattered protests against power cuts broke out in the Cuban capital, Havana, on Wednesd…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7pyrj0vx7o

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A megawatt is a unit of power in the International System of Units.The prefix mega is derived from the Greek megas meaning great and is symbolized as M. Mega denotes a factor of a million (106) which …
https://www.checkyourmath.com/convert/power/megawatts.php

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Claim 13: “In some parts of Havana, residents have endured outages lasting more than 19 hours a day”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results regarding the specific duration of outages (19 hours) in Havana.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.