Cuba: Trump plays with fire?
Since January 2026, following the US intervention in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro, Washington has imposed a near-total energy blockade on Havana, cutting off access to Venezuelan oil. The Trump administration aims to force Cuba's leadership toward political and economic opening, potentially making the island a dependent partner or even a protectorate like Venezuela. Consequences include 20- to 22-hour daily power outages in Havana, critical food and medicine shortages, and social tensions with protests.
Why it matters: The US pressure on Cuba reflects a geoeconomic strategy of using energy blockades to force political and economic alignment, with implications for regional stability and great-power competition.