HAVANA — Cuba is facing one of its most severe economic crises in decades after the dramatic reduction in Venezuelan oil supplies left the island struggling to meet basic energy and food needs. In response, Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, has authorized a package of emergency assistance to support Havana during this period of hardship.
Under the new assistance arrangement, Cuba is set to receive US$80 million in financial aid and a donation of 60,000 tonnes of rice to help alleviate shortages of essential goods. The Chinese government’s decision was formally communicated by the Chinese ambassador in Cuba during a meeting with President Miguel Díaz‑Canel Bermúdez at the Palacio de la Revolución in Havana.
The rice donation, a staple in the Cuban diet, is being delivered as an immediate humanitarian measure in light of growing food scarcity and rising prices in state markets and informal sectors. The initial portion of a previous rice donation — part of a broader commitment — has already begun to arrive while the full second tranche is expected to follow soon.
The $80 million in financial support is earmarked for the purchase of urgent electrical equipment and other critical needs, reflecting Cuba’s ongoing struggle with energy shortages and frequent blackouts caused by insufficient fuel — a situation tied in part to the steep decline in oil shipments from Venezuela.
For years, Cuba relied heavily on discounted and financed oil from Venezuela as part of longstanding bilateral agreements. These flows helped sustain Cuba’s energy sector and supported its wider economy. However, in recent months this lifeline has waned, leaving Havana with limited alternatives to meet domestic energy demand as global and regional dynamics evolve.
Beijing’s intervention comes at a time when Cuba’s economy has contracted, inflation remains high, and the national power grid is under severe strain. Cuba’s government has cast the Chinese support as a testament to the deep political and economic ties between the two countries, even as critics warn that reliance on external aid highlights structural weaknesses that must be urgently addressed.
As Cuba copes with dwindling Venezuelan oil shipments and intensifying economic pressures, the Chinese emergency package underscores the shifting landscape of international support and the island’s growing dependency on external partners to secure basic food and energy supplies.