Havana Book Fair Postponed Amid Cuba's Deepening Fuel Crisis

The 34th Havana International Book Fair has been postponed indefinitely, becoming one of the most significant cultural casualties of Cuba’s ongoing energy crisis. The event, considered the Caribbean island’s most important literary celebration, was scheduled for February 12-22, 2026.

A Special Edition Put on Hold

This year’s fair promised to be particularly meaningful. The Cuban Book Institute had announced that it would be dedicated to the centennial of Fidel Castro’s birth, highlighting his intellectual legacy and his vision of culture as a “trench of ideas.”

The Russian Federation had been selected as the Guest Country of Honor, continuing a tradition that since 1998 has connected Cuba with nations including Mexico, Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, and South Africa.

The edition would also pay tribute to two distinguished Cuban literary figures: poet and narrator Marilyn Bobes and historian and essayist José Bell Lara.

The Crisis Behind the Suspension

The Fair’s Organizing Committee announced the decision on February 6, citing “the extraordinary situation the country is experiencing.” The fuel shortage, worsened after new U.S. sanctions targeting countries that export oil to Cuba, has forced the government to prioritize essential sectors.

The austerity measures have affected:

• Interprovincial and urban transportation
• Banking hours
• Cultural and sports activities
• Fuel supply at airports

44 Years of Literary Tradition

The Havana International Book Fair was born in 1982 at the National Museum of Fine Arts. Since then, it has become a cultural phenomenon that mobilizes hundreds of thousands of Cubans every year.

Starting in 2000, the fair adopted its current format: an annual celebration dedicated to a guest country and paying homage to Cuban writers. Since 2002, after concluding in Havana, it travels to all provinces across the country, democratizing access to books in a nation where reading remains a fundamental value.

The permanent venue—the San Carlos de La Cabaña Fortress—offers a unique setting: book sales and author meetings take place among 18th-century colonial walls, overlooking Havana Bay.

What Happens Next?

Cultural authorities have promised to announce a new date “in due time.” Meanwhile, Cuba’s literary community, both on the island and in the diaspora, waits hopefully for conditions to improve.

For many Cubans, the Book Fair is not simply a commercial event—it’s a family tradition, a space for generational encounters, and a reaffirmation of culture’s importance during difficult times.

As the Martí quote that guides each edition says: “To read is to grow.” And Cuba, between blackouts and shortages, continues betting on growth.

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We will update this article when the new date for the 34th Havana International Book Fair is announced.