UN, April 30. /TASS/. Cuba is not on the verge of collapse, despite the ongoing oil shortage and difficult economic situation, Permanent Representative to the UN Ernesto Soberon Guzman said.

"We have received oil from Russia, and the situation has improved a little. But if we don't receive new supplies in the future, we don't know when the next tanker will arrive. One of the main reasons for the current situation is the lack of oil. However, even in these conditions, the country is not collapsing. The healthcare system is functioning, although there are waiting lists for surgeries, and the educational system is also working," he told reporters.

According to him, the government is adapting to the new conditions by converting part of the educational process to an online format and introducing alternative solutions. For instance, solar panels are being actively installed in the country, primarily at social infrastructure facilities, including hospitals, schools and food production centers.

The Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin delivered 100,000 tons of oil to Cuba as humanitarian aid on March 31.

The situation in Cuba deteriorated sharply at the end of January after the US blocked fuel supplies to the island. There is an energy crisis there: in March, the national electricity grid went down three times, most recently on March 21 leaving the whole country without light for long periods of time. There is an acute shortage of gasoline and diesel fuel. Some foreign airlines suspended flights over the lack of aviation kerosene at its airports, which is necessary for refueling aircraft.