Two former ambassadors say they're confident Global Affairs Canada is preparing contingency plans for responding to the various ways in which Washington could intervene in Cuba. For more than a year, Global Affairs Canada has warned travellers of "shortages of basic necessities, including food, medicine and fuel" across most of Cuba. The department wrote on social media that Cuba has grappled with rolling blackouts since October 2024. Entwistle said Canada would need to consider the status of continental trade deal negotiations before deciding how it would respond to "significant aggression" by the U.S. in Cuba. In an interview from Havana, Queen's University historian Karen Dubinsky said the blackouts are lasting eight to 10 hours and locals believe this is because of American restrictions on Venezuelan oil.