U.S. embargo, sanctions on Cuba impacting power supplies, access to medicine
October 16, 2026 / 1:03 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- Cuba is experiencing power blackouts and a lack of access to medicine due to U.S. sanctions.
- A strict U.S. embargo on oil imports has severely impacted the country's electrical grid, leading to limited electricity access.
- Crumbling infrastructure and the energy crisis have caused prices of basic goods to surge.
- The public health system is struggling to source critical drugs, with some resorting to community-run or black-market pharmacies.
- Recent U.S. sanctions, including those against Cuba's state-run bank, are described by Cuba's foreign minister as collective punishment.
- State employees and pensioners face difficulties accessing wages, and prices for items like bread have risen significantly.
- Cuba has implemented economic reforms for the private sector but no political reforms, and negotiations with the U.S. are at a standstill.