An annual cigar festival in Havana, Cuba, scheduled to run for five days in late February, has been postponed indefinitely amid a deepening economic crisis.

The delay comes as the island’s communist-led government faces its most severe challenge since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Habanos S.A., the event’s organiser, said on Saturday that the festival was suspended “with the aim of preserving the highest standards of quality, excellence and experience that characterize this international event.”

The organising committee said efforts were underway to fix a new date for the fair, though no additional details were disclosed.
In past editions, the festival has drawn more than 1,000 visitors from roughly 80 countries, with participants taking part in auctions and visiting tobacco plantations.

Premium cigars from Cuba are globally acclaimed and hold significant economic value, ranking among the country’s key exports and major sources of foreign exchange.

However, they remain illegal in the United States due to a decades-long trade embargo.

Cuba is currently facing an acute fuel shortage as tighter U.S. sanctions and supply disruptions restrict access to imported oil.

The administration of Donald Trump has effectively severed the island’s access to crude from Venezuela following a January 3 U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The government of Cuba, which has denounced U.S. pressure, has introduced measures to safeguard essential services while rationing limited fuel supplies to priority sectors.

The country’s shrinking oil reserves also prompted the United Nations to warn earlier this month of a potential humanitarian “collapse” if energy shortages persist.