Venezuela’s Crisis Fuels Cuban Gas Shortage: A Month-Long Wait
The Cuban Revolution entered the 68th year of its existence. The government in Havana has just commemorated the triumph of the “barbudos” (beards), who rode into Havana on January 8, 1959 in their armored cars and dances after the fall of the dictator Fulgencio Batista.
They were led by the then only 33-year-old Fidel Castro,who gradually established one of the longest dictatorships in the modern era. But today the regime known as Castroism is shaking at its foundations and, according to some experts, it is even in danger of extinction.
cuba could lose its biggest ideological and economic ally – socialist Venezuela, which has been sending cheap oil to Havana for a quarter of a century and employing hundreds of thousands of Cubans in exchange for foreign currency.
It is indeed no secret that Venezuela assumed the role of patron of the Cuban revolution, following the example of the Soviet Union, which subsidized Cuba for thirty years before its collapse in 1991.
Today, the same earthquake might potentially be occurring in geopolitics, after the United States overthrew dictator Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela over the weekend and is ”running” the country. Maduro’s successors are supposed to be obedient to the White House and follow donald Trump’s orders. Among other things, he imposed an embargo on the export of Venezuelan oil.
At the same time, the Cuban economy was already in a huge crisis. Blade The New York Times in addition, he wrote that the Cuban economy is in free fall after decades of problems.
The island is experiencing widespread power outages, food supplies are stuck, there is no medicine available on the streets, there is a lack of fuel, which is manifested, among other things, in huge landfills all over Havana – even the garbagemen do not have gasoline and thus cannot go around the city and clean up the garbage.
ordinary Cubans can only buy gasoline by using a special application to sign up
The famous Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez described the death of members of this unit in an interview for Seznam Zpravy as a heavy blow to the regime and its credibility.
“The official version is that Cuban soldiers are infallible and invincible. That image has suffered considerable damage,” said the woman, who with her husband Reinaldo Escobar founded Cuba’s first-ever digital newspaper called 14ymedio.
According to Sánchez, predictions about the early fall of Castroism are premature. He points out that as the beginning of the revolution,Castroism has shown resilience and the ability to withstand all kinds of political and economic crises.
He admits that the possible loss of Venezuelan oil would considerably hurt Havana, but in the same breath he adds that the Cuban communists also receive oil from Russia and Mexico.
Agents at the expense of hospitals
Table of Contents
- Agents at the expense of hospitals
- Miguel Díaz-Canel and the Current Political Climate in cuba
- A search for recent developments regarding the political and economic situation in cuba reveals ongoing economic hardship and continued government repression of dissent. The Associated Press continues to report on the challenges faced by the Cuban population and the government’s response to protests. There have been no major shifts in the political landscape since the events described in the original text. The situation remains largely as described by authoritative sources.
In the event of a dramatic energy crisis, Yoani is convinced that the regime will prioritize its repressive apparatus.
“If Castroism finds itself in the dilemma of whether to keep hospitals and basic services running, or to fuel the secret police, military and government elites to maintain control, it will no doubt choose the latter solution, which is to keep the repressive apparatus running, even if millions of Cubans have to live in darkness and without public transportation.”
Miguel Díaz-Canel is the current President of Cuba, having succeeded Raúl Castro in 2018, and continues the policies of the Cuban revolution. The U.S. State department details Cuba’s political system as a one-party communist state. He was selected by Fidel and raúl Castro to continue the revolution, and has maintained a firm stance against both external and internal opposition.
Succession and Continued Revolutionary Ideology
Fidel Castro initially designated his brother Raúl as his successor, and Raúl afterward designated Díaz-Canel as his successor in 2018. The Council on Foreign Relations explains that Díaz-Canel’s selection was intended to ensure continuity of the Cuban Revolution’s core principles. He has publicly affirmed a commitment to resisting potential external threats,notably from the United States,and has overseen a crackdown on dissent.
2021 Protests and government Response
In July 2021, Cuba experienced widespread protests driven by severe economic hardship, shortages of basic goods, and restrictions on civil liberties. Human Rights watch documented a harsh government response to these protests, including arrests, detentions, and prosecutions of protesters. Reports indicate over 2,500 people were detained following the protests. Amnesty International has also reported on the repression of dissent and the lack of due process for those arrested.
Challenges to Potential Regime Change
Experts suggest that overthrowing the cuban government will be a tough undertaking. Elliot Abrams, former U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela and Iran,stated in a Politico interview that cuba presents a more challenging scenario than venezuela due to the longevity of the current regime, the absence of a strong democratic opposition, and a lack of collective memory of democratic governance. Venezuela experienced forty years of democracy prior to the rise of hugo Chávez, fostering stronger democratic institutions and political parties. Cuba, in contrast, has been under communist rule since 1959.
Economic Situation and Regional Comparisons
Cuba’s economic situation remains precarious, with ongoing shortages and dependence on external support. The International Monetary Fund provides data and analysis on Cuba’s economic performance, highlighting the challenges of a centrally planned economy and the impact of U.S. sanctions. The comparison to Venezuela, as highlighted by Abrams, suggests that Cuba’s lack of established democratic structures and a history of political pluralism could hinder a transition to a more open system.
Breaking news Check (as of 2026/01/09 08:28:42):
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