While Cuba grapples with unprecedented energy shortages and power outages lasting up to 20 or 30 hours daily, the U.S. naval base in Guantánamo stands as an oasis of relative wealth, completely supplied from the United States and insulated from the collapse affecting 10 million Cubans across a minefield.
This portrayal comes from journalist Carol Rosenberg in a report published last Monday in The New York Times, titled "As Trump Squeezes Cuba, U.S. Military Exists in a Bubble," offering a rare glimpse inside the American enclave separated from the rest of Cuba by a minefield.
The base is home to approximately 6,000 people, including military personnel, civilians, and contractors. It features a modern bowling alley with QubicaAMF technology and neon lights, a Starbucks, a McDonald's operating since 1986, an Irish pub named O'Kelly's, cinemas showcasing Hollywood releases, beaches, and a marina.
Photos captured by Rosenberg reveal the bowling alley illuminated with colorful lights and screens displaying messages like "Fun Can't Wait!" and "Welcome Back to Bowling!" Meanwhile, a handwritten sign at the Starbucks informs patrons: "Currently out of milk. Available drinks are cold brew, coffee, Americano, frappés, lemonade, and teas. Sorry for the inconvenience."
The base's infrastructure ensures its complete independence from the Cuban network: it has two reverse osmosis water treatment plants processing 2.5 million gallons daily, 25 storage tanks, 43 wells, and 50 additional generators capable of producing up to 17,000 kilowatts.
In addition, the base boasts 59 fuel tanks with a capacity for 35 million gallons, guaranteeing its full energy independence.
In stark contrast, Cuba suffered three total collapses of its national electrical grid in March 2026. The outage on March 16 lasted 29 hours and 29 minutes. By March 25, the nation's available electricity was a mere 1,145 megawatts against a demand of 3,000, resulting in a deficit of 1,885 megawatts.
Cuba's energy crisis has worsened due to the simultaneous loss of its two main external oil sources: Venezuela, which supplied between 25,000 and 35,000 barrels daily, halted deliveries following the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, and Mexico ceased its shipments on January 9 under pressure from U.S. sanctions.
Cuba produces only 40,000 barrels of oil daily against a need for 110,000, with reserves in February and March barely enough for 15 to 20 days.
In this context, the Trump administration has ramped up pressure on the regime. On January 29, the president declared Cuba an unusual and extraordinary threat through Executive Order 14380, and since January 2025, more than 240 sanctions have been imposed on the island.
Last Friday, Trump publicly stated that "Cuba is finished," just three days after declaring, "Cuba is next."
The Guantánamo naval base was established in 1903 under the Platt Amendment as a condition for ending the U.S. occupation after the Spanish-American War. It covers 117 square kilometers and is separated from Cuban territory by a minefield. Fewer than 300 aging Cubans remain on the base, former workers who have stayed as special residents.
Cuba's GDP has dropped by 23% cumulatively since 2019, with a projected additional decline of 7.2% in 2026, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit, marking the current crisis as the worst since the Special Period of the 1990s.
Understanding the U.S. Military Base in Guantánamo
How does the Guantánamo base remain unaffected by Cuba's energy crisis?
The base is entirely self-sufficient, with its own water treatment plants, fuel storage, and electricity generators, allowing it to operate independently of Cuba's national grid.
What amenities are available at the Guantánamo base?
The base offers a variety of amenities, including a modern bowling alley, Starbucks, McDonald's, an Irish pub, cinemas with Hollywood releases, beaches, and a marina.
What led to Cuba's current energy crisis?
Cuba's energy crisis has been exacerbated by the loss of oil supplies from Venezuela and Mexico, coupled with insufficient domestic production to meet the country's needs.