In the dark and under the threat of a US blockade, Cuba is headed for a borderline situation: The President has just announced the rationalization plan

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on Thursday that his government will launch a plan next week to deal with fuel shortages as the United States plans to block oil supplies to the Caribbean island nation, Reuters writes.

Tensions escalated last week after the US announced it would impose tariffs on goods from oil-exporting countries to Cuba, driving up food and transport prices and causing severe fuel shortages and hours-long power outages, even in the capital, Havana.

US President Donald Trump said last month that Cuba would no longer receive oil from its biggest supplier, Venezuela.

The US blockade “affects public transportation, hospitals, schools, the economy and tourism,” Diaz-Canel said in a two-hour televised news conference.

“How are we going to farm the land? How are we going to get around? How are we going to keep the kids in school without fuel?” he added.

“We will take measures that, although they are not permanent, will require efforts. Some (…) are restrictive, requiring us to adjust consumption and promote savings. There are things that we must stop or postpone in order to be able to continue operating in the essential areas,” the Cuban president pointed out.

Several provinces affected by total blackouts

A fault at an electrical substation caused a total power outage in five eastern Cuban provinces on Wednesday night as the island's government struggled to keep the “lights” on amid dwindling fuel supplies and failing infrastructure.

On Thursday, Diaz-Canel reiterated earlier claims by Cuba's foreign ministry that Havana agreed to talk with the United States, but with certain conditions.

“Cuba is willing to participate in dialogue, but with the only requirement that the US government not try to interfere in Cuba's internal affairs and not undermine our sovereignty,” the Cuban president said.

Cuba's top diplomat in the United States, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, told Reuters this week that Cuba had begun communicating with the US government but had not yet established a formal bilateral dialogue.

Diaz-Canel did not give details about those talks or what steps will be taken next week, but he laid out a broader plan for his country to deal with US pressure.

He said the island would step up solar power production and use renewable resources to provide electricity for vital services, including hospitals, elderly care centers and isolated regions.

Cuba produces about 1,000 megawatts, or 38 percent of its daily output, from solar panels, Diaz-Canel said. They were installed with China's support over the past two years.

According to Diaz-Canel, Cuba is working to increase its crude oil extraction and storage capacity to increase its self-sufficiency.

But Cuba also has the “right” to receive fuel deliveries by sea, he added.

“We will continue to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the country can receive fuel imports again,” the Cuban president said.