Cuba confronts its most severe test in decades after Donald Trump halted Venezuelan oil shipments and warned that any nation supplying fuel could face U.S. tariffs. The measures follow the Jan. 3 operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, in which 32 Cubans died, further straining the island’s economy.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel denounced the pressure, insisting the government will not surrender. He said Cuba remains open to talks with Washington, “without pressure or preconditions.”
The fuel shortage has forced airlines like Air Canada to cancel flights, and the government has implemented rationing, shortened school days, and reduced workweeks at state companies. Experts warn these measures may not prevent widespread shortages and civil unrest.
International support remains limited. Mexico sent humanitarian aid but suspended oil deliveries, while China and Russia expressed concern and offered assistance. Analysts say Cuba’s reliance on renewable energy may be insufficient to fill the gap.
Historians note that Cuba has survived similar crises, including the 1990s collapse of Soviet support. Helen Yaffe, a professor at the University of Glasgow, said, “The U.S. will keep pressing, and Cubans will keep resisting, with significant hardship, but Cuba has pulled through before.”
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