The US ‘Energy Starvation’ of Cuba

by Contributor | May 19, 2026 10:00 am

In 1897, John C. Breckinridge, former US Vice-President, wrote, “We must impose a harsh blockade [on Cuba] so that hunger and its constant companion, disease, undermine the peaceful population and decimate the Cuban army.”

In 1960, the State Department stated the goal of US economic warfare against Cuba was “to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government.”

From 1960 until 2026, Washington maintained the same policy towards Cuba. Today, Washington imposes a harsh fuel blockade on Cuba that brings about desperation and hunger. Washington hopes economic warfare and coercion will overthrow the government of Cuba.

On 29 January 2026, President Trump declared his oil blockade of Cuba. The Wall Street Journal reported, “Washington intends to weaken the regime by choking off [their] oil.” Lawrence Gumbiner, former chargé d’affaires at the U.S. embassy in Cuba said, “the administration’s tactic is to keep strangling harder and harder and harder,” until we overthrow Cuba’s government.

The New York Times admitted, “The U.S. oil blockade on Cuba is… causing daily blackouts, food shortages, canceled classes,” and “causing deaths that would otherwise be preventable.” The US fuel blockade turns the lights off in Cuban hospitals. Health workers “have to squeeze a rubber pump to keep the babies breathing until the generators start to work.”

On 1 May 2026, President Trump signed a new executive order that expanded sanctions on Cuba. These additional sanctions are fatal to Cubans. The Center for Economic and Policy Research documented, “the expansion of US sanctions against Cuba beginning in 2017 were likely the primary cause of a major increase in infant mortality in Cuba.” Furthermore, “Had Cuba’s [Infant Mortality Rate] remained stable over the last eight years, then approximately 1,800 deaths of infants would not have occurred. The Trump policy of ‘maximum pressure’ on Cuba has killed a lot of babies.”

This isn’t by accident. This is by design. “The sanctions on Cuba starkly illustrate how these economic sanctions work: they target the civilian population, often with the goal of provoking regime change.” As Trump announced more sanctions— that will kill more Cuban babies— the President also said, “we’ll be taking over [Cuba] almost immediately.”

This was always the intention of Washington’s oil blockade of Cuba; to cause Cuba so much pain that Washington simply takes “control” and takes over. This deliberate policy of strangulation is working. Last Wednesday, Cuba officially announced the entire nation ran out of fuel. Cuba’s daily blackouts are up to 22 hours. There have been school and hospital closures. Water pumps don’t work. Refrigeration and air conditioning don’t work. Food spoils as food prices soar.

The United Nations Human Rights reported, “Cuba has been subjected to energy starvation by the United States, a condition in which the lack of fuel cripples the functioning of essential services required for a dignified life.”
Washington’s deliberate policy of “energy starvation” gives the Trump administration “the honor of taking Cuba.”

Taxpayers must demand an end to US imperial aggression against Cuba.

-Anton Porcari

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/the-us-energy-starvation-of-cuba/

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