Canada to support Cuba as US oil embargo worsens power outages

Canada has announced that it is preparing an aid package for Cuba as the Caribbean nation grapples with widespread blackouts and severe fuel shortages aggravated by a tightening United States oil embargo.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand confirmed on Monday that Ottawa is developing a plan to assist Havana but declined to disclose details. “We are preparing a plan to assist. We are not prepared at this point to provide any details of the announcement,” Anand said.

Cuba’s energy situation has deteriorated sharply in recent weeks following the suspension of oil shipments from Venezuela, its main supplier. The halt came after the United States launched military action against the South American country in early January and detained its leader. Mexico, another key supplier, also suspended oil exports to Cuba under pressure from Washington.

The fuel shortages have disrupted transportation and tourism, a vital sector of the Cuban economy. Air Canada and several other international carriers have cancelled flights to the island due to a lack of aviation fuel.

According to Global Affairs Canada , Canada is Cuba’s second-largest source of direct foreign investment, particularly in mining and tourism. Canadian tourism plays a crucial role in sustaining the island’s economy, making the current crisis a growing concern for Ottawa.Canada would join Mexico in extending assistance. Earlier this month, two Mexican Navy ships carrying humanitarian aid docked in Cuba, delivering about 800 tonnes of supplies, followed by an additional 1,500 tonnes of powdered milk and beans. The move came two weeks after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries exporting oil to Cuba.

Cuba’s economic crisis, which began in 2020, has intensified due to stricter US sanctions aimed at pressuring the island’s political system (a one-party communist socialist government, opposed by the US since the 1959 revolution for rejecting capitalism and aligning with rival powers). These measures have contributed to acute shortages and rolling blackouts that peaked in early 2026.

Producing only about 40 per cent of its fuel needs domestically, Cuba remains highly vulnerable to external supply disruptions. While allies such as Russia and China have condemned the US measures, their support has so far been largely symbolic.