Almost three months after the US effectively imposed anoil blockadeon Cuba that worsened its energy crunch, nearly every aspect of Cuban society has been feeling the strain.
Trash has been piling up on the streets of the capital, hospital stays and surgeries are being limited, people are using wood fires to heat water, and blackouts have become commonplace.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed the crisis in a nationally televised press conference on Friday, during which he insisted that authorities were seeking solutions but acknowledged that the task wouldn't be simple.
Here's how Cuba reached this point and where it could go from here.
Increasing US pressure
Since the 1960s, the US has maintained an economic embargo on Cuba that has cost the island "trillions of dollars" and impacted its "overall human development," according to aUnited Nations report.
Despite calls from many nations to lift the penalties, the US has recently ratcheted up pressure on the communist-run island.
In early January, the US cut off Cuba's main oil supplier, Venezuela, after capturing its president in a military raid and forcing its acting government tohalt shipments.
Weeks later, Cuba lost oil supply from other providers, such as Mexico, after the US threatened them with additional tariffs, arguing that Havana posed an "extraordinary threat" by aligning itself with "hostile countries and malign actors, (and) hosting their military and intelligence capabilities," a claim that Cuba rejected.
No oil, no electricity, and now no water
The lack of oil – which Cuba uses to power vehicles and generate electricity – has exacerbated the country's long-running energy crisis.
Prolonged power outages, which were already a constant in Cuba, have worsened during the first few months of the year, according to Díaz-Canel. Service interruptions have become more frequent, with power plants lacking sufficient fuel to operate.
On Monday, the island suffered its latestnationwide blackoutin recent years – the first since the US imposed the oil blockade.
The shortage is also affecting water supply, according to Antonio Rodríguez Rodríguez, president of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH). The official said last week that the institution is seeking measures to minimize disruption to distribution, such as installing solar panels to reduce dependence on the electrical grid.
The Cuban government says it is trying to remedy the oil shortage by increasing domestic production.
CNN has reached out to both the INRH and the Aguas de La Habana company to request information on how the damage is being addressed.
'Tens of thousands' await surgery
Beyond water and power, the fuel shortage is straining other essential services, including education, transportation and medicine.
"Tens of thousands" of people are waiting for an operation that can't be carried out due to a lack of electricity, according to Díaz-Canel.
For several weeks now, piles of trash have been accumulating on some streets of Havana because garbage trucks lack the fuel to collect it. Similarly, public transportation has been reduced, resulting in long lines at stations and overcrowded buses.
CNN has reached out to the ministries of transportation and public health for more information.
Human Rights Watch warns that the lack of electricity is affecting virtually every aspect of daily life.
Advertisement
"The humanitarian situation in Cuba was already extremely fragile, but the electricity crisis is pushing many essential services to the limit," Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at HRW, said in a statement to CNN. "People don't have reliable access to drinking water, hospitals can't operate safely, basic goods are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, and garbage is piling up in the streets."
Rare demonstrations
The crisis has already sparked public protests – which are rare in Cuba.
On March 7, residents in parts of Havana took to the streets to express their discontent by banging pots and pans and lighting bonfires.
Days later, a group of students held a peaceful protest on the steps of the University of Havana. They told reporters that they decided to demonstrate peacefully because circumstances such as the lack of power and internet access prevented them from continuing their studies.
Another protest broke out early Saturday morning in the city of Morón, in which demonstrators partially destroyed the local headquarters of the Communist Party. Authorities reported that five people were arrested in what was described as a demonstration related to problems with energy supply and access to food on the island.
Díaz-Canel said he understands people's discomfort with the current situation, but "there will be no impunity" for those committing violent acts.
The United Nations said last Tuesday that it was holding talks with the US to facilitate oil deliveries to Cuba for humanitarian reasons.
In early February, the UN warned that the country could "collapse" due to Washington's oil blockade.
Where Cuba could go from here
Díaz-Canel on Friday acknowledged for the first time that his government has beenholding talkswith the US to try to solve their differences.
The announcement drew global attention, but it is unlikely to do anything in the immediate future to alleviate the crisis that Cubans are experiencing.
The US has shown no signs of easing its pressure campaign. In fact, it seems to be increasing.
Apart from the oil blockade, the US also appears to be isolating Cuba diplomatically.
In recent months, several Latin American nations have announced plans to end or roll back a famedmedical cooperation programwith Cuban doctors following US pressure.
On Wednesday, Costa Rica said it was closing its embassy in Cuba and told the country to withdraw its own diplomats, too. Echoing some of Washington's rhetoric, Costa Rica accused the Cuban government of repression and violating the rights of its citizens.
Havana has denounced the moves, accusing its neighbors of joining a US "offensive" against the island.
The US has suggested that it would ease pressure on Cuba if Havana struck a deal, the terms of which have not been disclosed, although American officials have given hints of what they seek.
For months, US President Donald Trump has taunted Cuba's communist leadership with threats of a takeover. After suggesting on Monday that he could do anything he wants with the island, Trump said Tuesday: "We'll be doing something with Cuba very soon."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio followed up with a blunt assessment.
Cuba needs "new people in charge," he said Tuesday. "Their economy doesn't work … They're in a lot of trouble, and the people in charge, they don't know how to fix it, so they have to get new people in charge."
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com