Cuba is a communist country. The government owns or controls most farms and businesses. The communist government of the Soviet Union supported Cuba for many years. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Cuba faced difficult times. Cuba's trade with other countries does not bring in enough money to meet the needs of its people. Today, Venezuela sells oil to Mexico at a reduced price, but Cuba cannot sell enough goods to buy everything its people needs. In order to save energy, the government sometimes orders businesses and factories to close. The government also orders blackouts, or times when all electricity to a region is cut off, to save energy.