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Us Cuba Relations

All articles tagged with #us cuba relations

Cuba says U.S. sanctions hinder its economic opening despite reform plans
world-news4 days ago

Cuba says U.S. sanctions hinder its economic opening despite reform plans

Cuba says the U.S. sanctions policy is blocking its plan to open the economy to private investment even as Havana pushes June reforms to expand private business, imports/exports without state intermediaries, and foreign investment. Analysts say sanctions constrain capital access and overall reform momentum, noting a paradox where U.S. pressure may spur liberalization while also limiting the resources needed to implement changes; ongoing U.S.–Cuba talks and sharp partisan critiques underscore the policy’s persistent impact on Cuba’s economic trajectory.

Cuba hit by nationwide blackout as aging grid falters
world22 days ago

Cuba hit by nationwide blackout as aging grid falters

Cuba’s national power grid collapsed, plunging the island into a nationwide blackout with no immediate cause or restoration timeline given. Prior outages stemmed from damaged transformers, circuit failures and planned cuts due to limited generating capacity. The crisis, fueled by aging, undermaintained plants and shortages of fuel and replacement parts, has disrupted transport, water, communications and medical services, while authorities try to isolate hospitals and essential facilities as they gradually reconnect power. The government blames the US embargo for fuel cuts, though others cite decades of underinvestment and mismanagement; disruptions from Venezuela and Mexico have further strained supplies in a year already marked by frequent blackouts.

world29 days ago

Raúl Castro Skips Cuban Revolution Anniversary as Crisis Deepens

Raúl Castro was absent from Cuba’s July 26 anniversary rally for the first time in decades, with President Díaz-Canel reading a message from him as the event in Pinar del Río commemorates the 1953 Moncada attack. The gathering underscored ongoing tensions with the United States amid sanctions and a deepening domestic crisis marked by blackouts, shortages, and declining production, while Washington credibly accuses Cuba of espionage and a U.S. indictment charges Castro over a 1996 plane downing.

Rodríguez Castro: Cuba’s back-channel power broker pushing for a US reset
world1 month ago

Rodríguez Castro: Cuba’s back-channel power broker pushing for a US reset

USA TODAY profiles Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, Raul Castro’s eldest grandson and a powerful, unofficial operator known as 'El Cangrejo.' Raised in the revolutionary inner circle, he wields influence via GAESA, argues he can broker a deal with the United States and has sought back-channel diplomacy with the Trump administration, including private meetings and a thwarted letter. He envisions an economically open Cuba while insisting he remains aligned with Cuba’s revolution, but his real authority and the path to a political transition remain uncertain within Cuba’s collective leadership.

Rubio’s Cuba Gamble: Democracy on the Line as Trump Seeks a Quick Deal
world2 months ago

Rubio’s Cuba Gamble: Democracy on the Line as Trump Seeks a Quick Deal

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is steering a high-stakes campaign against Havana—fuel blockades, a CIA ultimatum, Raul Castro’s indictment, and new sanctions—while trying to coax a transition to democracy that fits his Cuba‑free vision and Trump’s preference for a quick deal. With Cuba resisting, the diaspora divided, and White House tensions over how hard to push, the outcome could redefine US-Cuba policy and shape Rubio’s political future.

Indictment Ties Raul Castro to 1996 Shootdown, Sparking Cuba-Policy Backlash
politics3 months ago

Indictment Ties Raul Castro to 1996 Shootdown, Sparking Cuba-Policy Backlash

The Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment charging Raul Castro and five co-defendants in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes that killed four Americans, reviving scrutiny of Barack Obama’s 2016 Cuba normalization and reviving debate over U.S.-Cuba policy; Trump lauded the indictment while Cuban-American critics argued the outreach legitimized the Castro regime.

U.S. indicts Raúl Castro in 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, deepening Cuba tensions
world3 months ago

U.S. indicts Raúl Castro in 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, deepening Cuba tensions

The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro, accusing him of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of an aircraft, and murder in the 1996 shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue planes, adding six defendants to a case dating back to 2003. Prosecutors say Castro approved deadly force and a retaliatory operation against the exile group. Cuba’s leader Díaz-Canel denounced the indictment as a political maneuver and cited U.S. sanctions and self-defense arguments, while analysts warn the move could strain U.S.-Cuba relations and potentially set the stage for further pressure or action.

Raúl Castro Indicted in US Over 1996 Downing of Two Planes
world3 months ago

Raúl Castro Indicted in US Over 1996 Downing of Two Planes

The US Department of Justice has indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 downing of two Brothers to the Rescue planes; the charges have not yet been made public and appear to update an older case, with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche set to outline details at a news conference, as Cuban-American lawmakers push for arrest and US-Cuba policy debates intensify amid Cuba’s economic crisis.