Cuba Teeters on Brink of Collapse as Trump Tightens Noose
In a dramatic escalation, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order allowing extra tariffs to be slapped on countries that sell oil to Cuba. The move is widely seen as an attempt to strangle the island nation's economy and undermine its communist government.
For Cubans, life is already a daily struggle. With only one oil shipment arriving this year – 84,900 barrels from Mexico – according to data consultancy Kpler, and current reserves dwindling fast, the country is on the cusp of fuel shortages. If no more tankers arrive, Cuba's fuel supply could run out in as little as three weeks.
The situation has sparked widespread panic, with people queuing for hours outside petrol stations that still accept US dollars. For many Cubans, however, the option to use dollars is a luxury they cannot afford. "There is no gas in the national pesos," says Javier Peña, waiting in line outside a petrol station in Havana's Vedado neighbourhood.
The US has long imposed an embargo on Cuba, but Trump's new move is seen as a more aggressive attempt to suffocate the economy. The Cuban government has accused Trump of trying to stifle the island, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel warning that the move will have devastating consequences for the country.
Experts warn that diesel, which powers transportation and industry, is key to Cuba's survival. A shortage would be catastrophic, disrupting vital services such as healthcare, agriculture, and electricity supply.
Despite warnings from Mexico and other allies, no additional oil shipments are expected. China has expressed support for Cuba, but its own role in the crisis is complex. The country traditionally buys oil from Cuba, which has received aid from Venezuela – a country that was recently targeted by the US in a violent coup.
As life on the island becomes increasingly difficult, the Cuban government faces few options. With an economy already reeling from years of decline, hyper-inflation has beggared many with state wages or pensions. The future looks bleak for Cubans, who are bracing themselves for more misery.
"It's not rocket science to understand they have used up all their cards," says a businessman who has worked with the Cuban government. For now, at least, life goes on – but the road ahead is uncertain and fraught with danger.
In a dramatic escalation, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order allowing extra tariffs to be slapped on countries that sell oil to Cuba. The move is widely seen as an attempt to strangle the island nation's economy and undermine its communist government.
For Cubans, life is already a daily struggle. With only one oil shipment arriving this year – 84,900 barrels from Mexico – according to data consultancy Kpler, and current reserves dwindling fast, the country is on the cusp of fuel shortages. If no more tankers arrive, Cuba's fuel supply could run out in as little as three weeks.
The situation has sparked widespread panic, with people queuing for hours outside petrol stations that still accept US dollars. For many Cubans, however, the option to use dollars is a luxury they cannot afford. "There is no gas in the national pesos," says Javier Peña, waiting in line outside a petrol station in Havana's Vedado neighbourhood.
The US has long imposed an embargo on Cuba, but Trump's new move is seen as a more aggressive attempt to suffocate the economy. The Cuban government has accused Trump of trying to stifle the island, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel warning that the move will have devastating consequences for the country.
Experts warn that diesel, which powers transportation and industry, is key to Cuba's survival. A shortage would be catastrophic, disrupting vital services such as healthcare, agriculture, and electricity supply.
Despite warnings from Mexico and other allies, no additional oil shipments are expected. China has expressed support for Cuba, but its own role in the crisis is complex. The country traditionally buys oil from Cuba, which has received aid from Venezuela – a country that was recently targeted by the US in a violent coup.
As life on the island becomes increasingly difficult, the Cuban government faces few options. With an economy already reeling from years of decline, hyper-inflation has beggared many with state wages or pensions. The future looks bleak for Cubans, who are bracing themselves for more misery.
"It's not rocket science to understand they have used up all their cards," says a businessman who has worked with the Cuban government. For now, at least, life goes on – but the road ahead is uncertain and fraught with danger.
. I can only imagine how hard it must be for the people there to deal with this constant uncertainty about fuel supplies 
. It's like they're living on borrowed time 
. The thought of no more oil shipments, and diesel running out, is just heartbreaking 
. Cuba needs help from its allies, and China stepping in would definitely make a difference 
. I just hope the Cuban government can figure out a way to get through this without losing everything 
.
the us is being super harsh on cuba and it's like they're trying to starve them out i mean can't they just talk to the cuban government instead of making executive orders? 
miguels dad was right, trump is definitely causing more problems than he's solving 
and what about all the ppl who are struggling already, do they really need to be hit with even more economic hardship? 
china should at least try to help out more 
... Trump's latest move is like, super harsh and it's gonna be tough for Cubans to survive without oil. I mean, imagine being in a situation where you have barely enough fuel to go around, not just for cars but also for hospitals, schools, and agriculture - it's like the whole system could come crashing down! 
.
.
And for Cubans, life is already a constant struggle 
Cuba needs more than that to survive, especially with their economy in shambles 
What's the point of having allies like Mexico if they can't support a country in need? 
The US has no idea what they're doing with their sanctions, it's just going to lead to more problems for everyone involved 
.
! Cuba's in a right old mess, and it's not just about the oil shortages... I mean, 84,900 barrels is hardly enough for an entire year 
.
And it's not just about the dollars... most people can barely afford 'em anyway 
... but it feels like they're running out of time 
. Cuba needs diesel for transportation, healthcare, and basic services. Without it, they're gonna be in a world of trouble 
. The Cuban government is between a rock and a hard place. They can't just sit back and watch their economy crumble. China's support means something, but it's not like they're gonna bail them out either 
it's not cool that cuba's already struggling and then trump comes along with more tariffs... like, can't we all just get along? 
. The thought of no more oil shipments and the economy just crashing is heartbreaking. And it's not like they're getting any help from other countries right now either 
. China's on board, but everyone else seems to be MIA. It's like Trump wants Cuba to fail on purpose 
.
I'd love to see some numbers on this. It seems like a lot of people are making some pretty bold claims about what will happen if Cuba runs out of fuel.
and now trump is making it worse by tightening the noose 
it's like they're playing a game of economic roulette 
will cuba be able to survive without any more oil shipments or are we just watching them stumble into chaos 
what's next gonna be water or food shortages?! no way cuba needs our help right now we should just hope china sticks up for them