In what is potentially an existential crisis for the socialist nation, Cuba is left with just 15 to 20 days of oil at current levels of demand and domestic production, according to the data analytics firm Kpler. The crisis was triggered by the U.S. military operations in Venezuela that abducted President Nicolás Maduro.
The attack followed a naval blockade that led to the U.S. illegally interdicting ships transporting oil from Venezuela to countries, including Cuba. It has been exacerbated by an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on January 29, which threatens punitive tariffs on any country selling oil to Cuba.
Cuba’s dependence on oil is structural as it accounts for 83% of total power generation and oil products make up 56% of total energy consumption across industry, transport, agriculture and households. For a country that imports roughly 80% of its food, power blackouts are catastrophic, as they disrupt refrigeration that is
Continue Reading on The Hindu
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.