Cuba Imposes Emergency Fuel Rationing, Cuts Workweek as Reserves Dwindle

Overview

• After a Feb. 6 cabinet meeting, the government ordered restricted fuel sales, a four‑day workweek for state firms from Feb. 9, and reduced interprovincial bus and rail service.
• Authorities say fuel will be prioritized for health care, defense, food and water systems, agriculture and parts of the tourism sector, and domestic and international flights will continue.
• Cuba is decentralizing fuel import authorization so qualified entities can buy directly, while pledging to keep electricity generation running and to expand solar projects.
• Schools will shorten hours and universities will shift to partial remote instruction, and the state has pledged basic wage guarantees for public‑sector workers.
• Some hotels and state companies will close temporarily to save energy, and a separate US$6 million US relief package for hurricane recovery drew a public rebuke from a Cuban deputy foreign minister.