Cubans queue for water in Havana amid fuel and power crisis

HAVANA, March 20 (Reuters) - Residents across the Cuban capital hauled buckets and lined up for water from tanker trucks ​as a combination of fuel shortages and power ‌grid instability left thousands of taps dry.

State water utility Aguas de La Habana confirmed that pumping schedules and supply operations ​have been disrupted by a lack of ​electricity.

The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here.

“This area is now having water problems. People ⁠are hauling water and waiting for the water truck,” ​said resident Lazaro Noblet, while pushing a small handcart ​loaded with containers.

“Since oil is not coming into the country, there is no pumping, because that system runs on electricity.”

The ​energy crunch follows a spike in U.S. pressure on Havana ​since the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Cuba’s primary ‌benefactor.

U.S. ⁠President Donald Trump has since cut Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and threatened tariffs on other suppliers, strangling the island’s fragile power infrastructure.

For many, however, the struggle ​is not new. “Our ​problem has ⁠existed since 2021, and now it is 2026,” said 58-year-old Maria de Jesus ​Rusindo, who has spent years carrying heavy ​containers ⁠into her home.

In other districts, Alfonso Pedro Gonzalez checked an empty roof tank before turning a dry faucet. He ⁠must ​boil the small amount of ​water he manages to collect from trucks.

Reporting by Alien Fernandez and Anett ​Rios, Writing by Natalia Siniawski, Editing by Rod Nickel

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

• Suggested Topics:
• Energy
• Water Management

Share

• X

• Facebook

• Linkedin

• Email

• Link

Purchase Licensing Rights