Costa Rica became the latest country to urge its citizens to leave Cuba immediately amid a worsening fuel shortage that has crippled transportation, power supplies and basic services across the island. The Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the advisory calling on nationals in Cuba to depart while commercial flights are still available.
Officials cited escalating shortages of fuel, electricity and essentials like food, water and medications, which have severely limited access to goods and services. They warned that emergency evacuations would be extremely challenging due to resource constraints, though consular support remains available through the Havana consulate.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs updated its guidance around the same time, advising citizens to avoid all non-essential travel. The alert highlighted prolonged blackouts, strained healthcare and water systems, critical fuel deficits and restricted food supplies as key risks. Officials noted that consular aid in Cuba is limited and travel insurance may not cover visits under the heightened advisory.
These moves align with a wave of similar warnings from other nations in recent weeks, reflecting the rapid deterioration of conditions on the ground. Canada’s government escalated its advisory, to avoid non-essential travel, pointing to shortages affecting even tourist hotspots.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office followed, advising against all but essential travel due to infrastructure failures, including no aviation fuel at the island’s nine international airports. Australia’s Smartraveller raised its level to reconsider travel needs on February 12, emphasizing impacts on transport and essentials. Argentina had earlier, on January 30, recommended avoiding or postponing trips, describing fuel lacks in tourist zones, extended outages and supply issues.
Even Russia, a major source of Cuba’s tourists, has shifted course. Russian authorities announced evacuation plans for around 4,000 citizens, with airlines like Rossiya operating one-way return flights from Havana and Varadero. The Russian Ministry of Economic Development urged suspending new bookings amid the fuel emergency.
The crisis threatens Cuba’s stability and its tourism-dependent economy, which generates vital foreign currency. With fuel imports halted, daily life has ground to a halt, exacerbating regional migration pressures and straining diplomatic ties. Neighboring countries worry about potential refugee flows if conditions collapse further, while the United Nations has voiced alarm over risks to essential services, calling for urgent humanitarian measures.
At the core of the shortages is a disruption in oil deliveries from Venezuela, Cuba’s longtime supplier. U.S. actions, including a January 2026 executive order imposing tariffs on any nation shipping petroleum to Cuba, have effectively blockaded supplies. This has left the island without adequate fuel for its energy grid, leading to blackouts lasting over 24 hours and paralyzing transport. Airports, hospitals and communications are all impacted, with waste collection in Havana slowed as only 44 of 106 garbage trucks operate.
Canadian airlines Air Canada, WestJet and Sunwing suspended services to Cuba, repatriating about 3,000 passengers via empty inbound flights. Russian carriers followed suit, and international operators are reviewing routes, with some using refueling stops elsewhere. Tourists report sporadic resort closures, food spoilage from outages and unreliable ground transport.
Cuba’s government has implemented rationing to prioritize hospitals, schools and food distribution. Fuel sales are capped at 20 liters per vehicle, with waits extending weeks or months via a new app-based system. Electric buses and bicycles are increasingly common in Havana as alternatives, but private taxis and tourism vehicles struggle. The plan includes shorter school days and a four-day workweek for state firms.
The situation echoes the 1990s “Special Period” after Soviet aid ended, but officials insist it’s temporary. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero has outlined conservation steps, though no timeline for relief was given. International aid discussions are underway, with Russia planning small oil shipments as humanitarian support.
As the crisis unfolds, analysts predict further economic contraction, with tourism arrivals already down. What happens next depends on diplomatic breakthroughs or resumed supplies, but for now, the island braces for prolonged hardship.
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