Why Cuba is under siege: economic collapse and US pressure
Cuba is experiencing a severe humanitarian and economic crisis, marked by nationwide blackouts, water shortages, food scarcity, and a collapse in tourism. The average monthly wage is under $20, and an estimated fifth of the population has left since 2021. The article identifies two main causes: decades of mismanagement by Cuba's communist government and intensified US economic warfare. The immediate trigger is a US oil blockade that began in January 2026, the largest since the Cuban Missile Crisis. This was compounded by the US seizure of Venezuela's Maduro government, which cut off 75% of Cuba's oil supply, and Mexico's similar action under tariff threats. The Trump administration is reportedly seeking regime change by the end of 2026, though talks are ongoing. Cuba announced 176 free-market reforms in June to placate the US, but a deal is complicated by a 1996 US law barring recognition of any government including Raúl Castro.
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