Cuba's Getting a New Papa

After the U.S. removed the dictator of Venezuela back in January, the oil that usually goes to Cuba was cut off. (Iran has also cut off supply.) The U.S. then put a "fuel blockade" on the island; through Executive Order 14380, signed Jan 29, 2026, it is in full effect, threatening to tax any country, like Mexico, that tries to help Cuba keep the lights on, taking away Cuba’s main lifeline. The administration has taken a "no more games" stance—some are calling it a “maximum pressure” campaign, and some are claiming that Cuba is a “national threat.”

This has caused a major "humanitarian crisis" that was already defined as “decayed elegance,” due to a trade embargo. With no fuel, trash trucks can’t run. With no power, permanent residents depend on backup generators and other supplies. As of yesterday, March 4, they’re in total blackout due to a failure at the Antonio Guiteras power plant. (However, this is not Cuba's first grid failure.) For 9.6 million people, this means no refrigeration for food, no water pumps working, and no way to charge phones.

The Cuban government is now forcing residents into designated "energy zones" while baselessly claiming the U.S. is "outsourcing terrorist infiltration." Meanwhile, thousands of tourists remain stranded; with no jet fuel available, rescue flights are struggling to land and some have come to a complete halt.

Also in an odd twist, it is stirring the pot with Canadian snowbirds who were just escaping from the cold. There are approximately 5,000 to 7,000 Canadians who are considered long-term residents. These are mostly business consultants, diplomatic staff, and people married to Cuban nationals. During the peak winter months, January–March, this number usually swells by 50,000+ as Canadians stay for 3–6 months at a time. However, due to the current energy crisis, thousands have fled the island, and all Canadian air travel—including Air Canada—is on hold until November 1 of this year. On Feb 24, 2026, Canadian Foreign Minister, Anita Anand announced that Ottawa is preparing a major humanitarian aid package for Cuba. Canadians are boycotting U.S. travel in record numbers.

It feels like we’re back in the 60s, doesn't it? Whether you think the Cuban government needs to go or not, the folks caught in the middle are the ones sitting in the dark without medicine or food.

In 1958, we helped Castro get control of Cuba, only for him to seize American oil refineries and property in 1959. President Eisenhower retaliated by slashing sugar trade; Castro retaliated and became buddies with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

In 1961, we had the Bay of Pigs, a CIA-backed invasion by Cuban exiles meant to overthrow Castro. It failed miserably because Kennedy refused to provide U.S. Air Force cover; he didn't want the world to see the U.S. military directly attacking a small neighbor. Because it was "half-a**ed," it was embarrassing for JFK, and the distrust pushed Castro to officially declare himself a Marxist-Leninist to get more Soviet protection.

Then in 1962 (64 years ago), we had all we could take with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The USSR (including Russia and Ukraine) put nuclear missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from Florida. For 13 days, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. It ended when the Soviets (a 15-nation empire) pulled the missiles out in exchange for a U.S. promise never to invade the island.

The UN recently condemned the 2026 oil blockade as "collective punishment" and a violation of international law. UN Charter Article 2(4) prohibits the "threat or use of force" against any state. While the bigger picture fear isn't that Cuba would fight back—it's that a U.S. move on Cuba would trigger a response from Russia or China, who still view Cuba as a strategic partner, potentially starting a larger global conflict.

Washington wants a "New Cuba" by Christmas, and they are using every tool in the shed—from tariffs to tankers—to get it.