Women use a cell phone flashlight as they chat through a window during a scheduled power outage as part of energy rationing in Santa Cruz del Norte, home to one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric plants, late Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
SANTA CRUZ DEL NORTE, Cuba (AP) — Much of Cuba remains hit with constant power outages, stemming from aging infrastructure and fuel shortages at power plants. Uncertainty looms over potential aid from Russia or Mexico, after the U.S. attacked Venezuela, disrupting oil shipments. As families cope with long blackouts, food scarcity and difficult choices, some continue to find small moments of joy amid worsening conditions.
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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Former baseball player Juan Alberto Varona washes clothes in the street during a scheduled power outage in Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba, late afternoon Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Gladys Delgado walks outside during a scheduled power outage in Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba, early Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Youths use their cell phones during a scheduled blackout to ration energy, at their home in Santa Cruz del Norte, home to one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric plants, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)A family travels on their electric motorbike during a power cut in Santa Cruz del Santa Cruz del Norte, home to one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric plants, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Smoke rises from the chimney of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric power plant in Santa Cruz del Norte, Cuba, at sunset Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)People celebrate a birthday during a scheduled power outage in Santa Cruz del Norte, home to one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric plants, late Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Minorkys Hoyos Ruiz lights coals to cook dinner during a scheduled blackout to ration energy in Santa Cruz del Norte, home to one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric plants, late afternoon Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)A man walks in the dark during a scheduled outage as part of energy rationing in Santa Cruz del Norte, home to one of Cuba’s largest thermoelectric plants, late Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)People take photos at El Morro in Havana, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Drivers wait in a long line to enter a gas station in Bacuranao near Havana, Cuba, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Farmer Lazaro Sanches harvests lettuce on his land in Minas, Havana province, Cuba, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)A man drives a classic American car in front of the Capitol in Havana, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Solar panels cover the roof at the home of Felix Jose Morfi where mechanics push his broken down Lada car in Regla, Havana province, Cuba, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)A woman walks through Havana, Cuba, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
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