Rare demonstrations erupted across Havana over repeated power blackouts, which have worsened since the US tightened its energy embargo on Cuba.

The country relies on imported fossil fuels for the vast majority of its power, and economic activity has ground to a halt since the US blocked energy shipments. Havana faces blackouts for up to 22 hours a day. Critical infrastructure, including hospitals, is also buckling, and doctors are struggling to provide even basic medical care.

While Cuba has rapidly deployed solar power, the situation is not likely to improve significantly any time soon: Its energy minister said the island had run out of diesel and oil entirely.