Cuba Struggles with Energy Cutbacks as Venezuela Fails to Export Oil

The amount of oil Venezuela is able to deliver to Cuba has diminished significantly due to the country’s economic and political crisis. As a result, Cuba has undergone its own energy crisis, forcing officials to look for new supply alternatives. In July, Raul Castro confirmed rumors surrounding a “contraction” of oil imports from Venezuela, saying that the lack of oil was putting pressure on Cuba’s economy. The Cuban government told producers to “tighten their belts” in expectation of a 50-percent reduction in electric and fuel consumption. The decline in imports from Venezuelan oil have been predicted to be as high as 40 percent — meaning 40,000 of the 100,000 barrels the country has received everyday for the last 10 years. More…