Amidst one of the most severe crises facing Cuba's power grid, characterized by daily blackouts, insufficient energy production, and a chronic shortage of fuel, the Cuban National Television News has once again resorted to the regime's usual tactic to assuage public anxiety: the promise of finding oil at last.
The report, crafted by the regime's energy spokesperson Bernardo Espinoza, announced an alleged escalation in geological studies with the People's Republic of China's assistance to locate potential areas for oil and gas exploration on Cuban soil. Espinoza, under the guise of a so-called "geology aligned with the country's priorities," explained that advanced technology is being used to create geochemical maps to detect chemical anomalies nationwide, hoping to discover new oil fields. He emphasized that the project is "unprecedented" and fully supported by the Chinese government.
Experts interviewed in the report claimed these studies would help identify concentrations of mineral elements and potential hydrocarbon reserves, with implications for agriculture and the environment. But the primary promise remains clear: to discover oil that can sustain the nation's electricity generation—a critical vulnerability for Cuba.
However, such proclamations are nothing new. For over two decades, the Cuban regime has been selling energy expectations that never materialize. A review of past news archives reveals a pattern: during every wave of blackouts, as social tension rises, the government responds not with immediate solutions but with grand announcements of imminent oil discoveries, revolutionary technologies, or "strategic" international agreements supposedly set to solve the energy dependency. The outcome is always the same: nothing changes.
For example, in 2018, there was much fanfare about the involvement of the Chinese company Great Wall in drilling new wells in Matanzas, using advanced techniques to extract oil from land to offshore areas. The promise was to increase national production and reduce imports. Yet, six years later, production remains stagnant, and Cuba still imports over 70% of its consumed fuel.
At the start of 2024, headlines touted the drilling of new wells in the northern strip of Matanzas. More recently, in January 2025, there was talk of five new exploratory wells in Varadero. None of these announcements have led to a visible improvement in the country's energy capacity.
The Cycle of Energy Promises
This recurring cycle of energy promises serves a clear purpose: to construct a narrative that shifts blame for blackouts to external or circumstantial factors while projecting an alleged national capability to reverse the crisis with sovereign resources and alliances with "friendly" foreign powers. In reality, it is recycled propaganda.
The geological narrative fulfills an ideological function: the notion that Cuba's subsoil holds potential wealth that just needs time and science to be harnessed. But this idea has been repeated since the 1990s, without accompanying results.
There were times when it was promised that Cuban oil was comparable to that of the Gulf of Mexico; at others, that new techniques would multiply production. The reality is that the country produces only about a third of the oil it consumes, and that oil is low quality and difficult to process.
China appears as the ideal partner in the official rhetoric: advanced technology, political support, grandiose speeches. However, agreements with Beijing rarely translate into substantial investments or effective technology transfer. Beyond some drilling equipment or sporadic technical assistance, there are no visible results to justify the rhetoric of "total support." In fact, many of the energy initiatives announced with China have languished after being headline news for a day.
The Cuban people, who bear the brunt of the blackouts, have learned to read between the lines. Every time a "new potential oil field" is announced, what usually follows is not light, but more darkness. Blackouts don't disappear with words, geochemical maps, or promises of energy sovereignty.
What the country needs is not another story about hidden oil beneath the ground, but transparency, efficient management, and a genuine willingness to change a failed energy model. Until that happens, oil will remain, for Cubans, not a resource, but a tale. A tall tale.
Cuban Oil Exploration and Energy Crisis FAQs
Why does Cuba repeatedly promise oil discoveries?
The Cuban government often makes such promises to shift the blame for blackouts and energy shortages away from itself by suggesting that solutions are on the horizon, thus attempting to calm public unrest.
What role does China play in Cuba's oil exploration efforts?
China is presented as a key partner, offering advanced technology and political support. However, these agreements rarely lead to significant investments or effective technological transfers.
Has Cuba ever successfully increased its oil production?
Despite numerous announcements, Cuba has not significantly increased its oil production and still relies heavily on imports for its energy needs.