Cuba in Crisis as Trump Slams Oil Tariffs! Havana wakes up to more than just blackouts. President Donald Trump has sparked outrage across the island by announcing tariffs on any nation supplying oil to Cuba. For a country already in the throes of economic and energy turmoil, this decision hits like a hurricane

Eighty-nine-year-old Lázaro Alfonso didn’t mince words, dubbing Trump the global “sheriff” as life in Cuba begins to mimic a lawless Wild West. Having survived the notorious 1990s “Special Period,” Alfonso claims today’s shortages are unbearable. Fuel is scarce, goods are elusive, and daily blackouts persist. The fear now? That oil restrictions will add gasoline to this fiery situation.

The Cuban government didn’t hold back. President Miguel Díaz-Canel slammed the move on X as “fascist, criminal and genocidal.” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez warned of an “extraordinary threat.” Venezuela, Cuba’s main oil ally, condemned the act, linking it to a broader assault on international norms. Amid whispers of Mexico potentially reducing oil shipments, Cuban officials seethe with anxiety.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum aims to maintain aid, seeking alternatives to prevent further humanitarian disaster. Options on the table? Allowing U.S. management of Mexican oil shipments—though Trump’s next steps remain shrouded in ambiguity.

Voices from Havana's streets echo the concern. Yanius Cabrera Macías, a bread vendor, voices his frustration. “Cuba threatens itself,” he asserts, blaming internal governance. “Trump’s actions have punishing consequences for common Cubans, not the elite.”

Experts chime in as Cuba faces its oil crisis head-on. Jorge Piñon from the University of Texas warns the island may have only weeks before the fuel taps dry up. Will a tanker arrive in time? Doubts linger, especially with Mexican decisions still pending.

Russia’s involvement remains uncertain. Sanction-heavy, they’re a wild card in this geopolitical poker game. Could China offer credit? These questions linger as Cubans struggle to keep the lights on.

From households to businesses, impacts ripple wide. Luis Alberto Mesa Acosta, a welder, battles constant power cuts reminiscent of past crises. He yearns for unity among Cubans, urging collective resilience.

Tales of hardship continue. Dayanira Herrera finds everyday life a growing challenge. Caring for her young son amidst frequent outages, she fears an all-encompassing darkness…

Key Takeaways:

• Trump’s oil tariffs could devastate struggling Cuba.

• Cuban leaders slam the move as egregiously anti-humanitarian.

• Cuba faces fuel shortages without new shipments soon.

  

Adapted by ASEAN Now from Source 2026-01-31

 

 

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Another day ....another tariff !

Cuba cannot survive without the free supply of oil provided by governments complicit in the communist dictatorship.

The Castro brothers and their henchmen have transformed what was once the pearl of the Caribbean into a desolate, impoverished, and unproductive wasteland.

Cuba currently imports 70-80% of its food requirements, compared to 21% in the pre-Castro era. The collectivization of agricultural land, mismanagement of resources, widespread corruption, dysfunctional central planning, and crumbling transportation and storage infrastructure have brought Cuba's agricultural sector to its knees.

The dire situation of Cuban agriculture is mirrored in all sectors of the economy due to the rigid application of the Soviet model, which has already proven to be a failure in every corner of the world.

Cuba can barely afford to pay for food imports to support its population and, since the Castros' rise to power, has been unable to afford anything else.

Two factors came to the regime's aid: the substantial economic aid provided first by the Soviet Union and then by Venezuela, and the useless sanctions imposed by the United States on the island, used by the regime to justify its economic failures and fuel nationalism. The truth is that even if the US lifted sanctions now, Cuba would gain very little benefit, because Cuba produces virtually nothing and has nothing to sell in exchange for its imports.

The Castros and their minions have transformed what was once considered the pearl of the Caribbean into a nation of beggars. They have robbed generations of Cubans of the freedom and dignity that comes from living off the fruits of their own labor.

One can only applaud the Trump administration's stance toward the regime that oppresses the island's population. A worsening of the crisis that has persisted since 1959 will be followed, after the collapse of the Castro regime, by Cuba's economic, moral, and social rebirth. Short term pain for long term gain.

I'm sure the vast majority of Cubans would approve Trump's hefty tariffs, if they were able to express themselves freely. After nearly 70 years of inaction, it's time for Cuba to turn the page, no matter what it costs.