How Far Can Cuba Bend Before It Breaks?

For many progressives around the world, Cuba has been an inspiration ever since the revolution there in 1959.

Making do with very little, Cuba focused its limited resources on education, and health care. With free education from cradle to grave, Cuba has one of the most highly educated populations in the world. Its life expectancy is equal to America’s at 79.4 years. Its infant mortality rate is 3.94%. America’s rate is 5.2%.

When Nelson Mandela was released from jail, he said that Cuba has contributed more than any other nation to the end of apartheid in South Africa. He referred to Fidel Castro as “a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people.”

Cuba has remained resilient for the past 60 years in the face of the American cruel, inhuman blockade. Sadly, all of Cuba’s incredible achievements are now at serious risk of being destroyed.

Donald Trump is making it almost impossible for the revolution to continue. The economic blockade has gone from dire to brutal. With the recent kidnapping of Venezuela’s Maduro, the provision to Cuba of Venezuelan oil, so crucial to the island’s survival, has come to an end. Trump has further threatened to impose tariffs on “any other country that directly or indirectly sells or otherwise provides any oil to Cuba.”

Nationwide blackouts are now a frequent occurrence. Enormous tracts of farmland lay fallow without the electricity to operate irrigation. The Havana Times reports that Rural Cuba is Emptying Out.

Cubans are experiencing extreme shortages of basic foods. Even tourism, Cuba’s lifeline, is collapsing as it is impossible to adequately feed tourists.

What is so remarkable is that the cruel and inhumane economic pain Trump is imposing on Cuba has not led to demonstrations against the government. Cubans have only taken to the street to protest U.S. threats.

The public still strongly supports the revolution. However, I fear that even Cuba cannot indefinitely withstand the extreme deprivation and suffering that is now so widespread.

As a lifelong admirer of Cuba, I hope that I am wrong, but I fear that the end is nigh for the Cuban revolution.

 

Daily atmospheric CO₂ [Courtesy of CO2.Earth]

Latest daily total (February 4, 2026): 428.87ppm

One year ago (February 3, 2025): 426.28ppm