{"id":5562,"date":"2026-02-01T09:51:52","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T09:51:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jubaglobal.com\/?p=5562"},"modified":"2026-02-01T09:51:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T09:51:53","slug":"trump-hints-at-potential-us-deal-with-cuba-as-oil-squeeze-tightens-blackouts-worsen-prices-soar-and-havana-faces-a-dire-energy-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/trump-hints-at-potential-us-deal-with-cuba-as-oil-squeeze-tightens-blackouts-worsen-prices-soar-and-havana-faces-a-dire-energy-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Hints at Potential US Deal with Cuba as Oil Squeeze Tightens: Blackouts Worsen, Prices Soar, and Havana Faces a Dire Energy Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com<\/strong>
February 1, 2026 \u2013 Forest Hills, Michigan (via wire reports from Washington, Havana, Caracas, and Mexico City)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a striking mix of carrot-and-stick diplomacy, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on January 31, 2026, that the United States is \u201cstarting to talk\u201d to Cuban leaders and could \u201cwork a deal\u201d with the communist-run island, even as his administration ramps up pressure by severing Havana\u2019s critical oil lifeline. The comments, made aboard Air Force One, follow weeks of aggressive moves to block Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba\u2014once its primary energy supplier\u2014and threaten tariffs on any nation continuing to provide fuel to the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s remarks came amid Cuba\u2019s deepening humanitarian and economic crisis: widespread rolling blackouts lasting up to 20+ hours daily, skyrocketing black-market fuel prices, long lines for basic goods, and growing public frustration. The island\u2019s energy grid, already fragile from decades of underinvestment and U.S. sanctions, has collapsed further since early January 2026, when U.S. military action captured Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, effectively halting PDVSA oil deliveries that previously met about one-third of Cuba\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Oil Cutoff: From Venezuela to Broader Blockade Threats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The turning point arrived in early January 2026 with the U.S. operation in Caracas that ousted Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Trump swiftly declared \u201cno more oil or money going to Cuba\u2014ZERO!\u201d on Truth Social, predicting the Cuban government \u201cwill be falling pretty soon\u201d without Venezuelan support. Venezuela had long subsidized Cuba through discounted oil under a barter arrangement (doctors and other professionals in exchange for fuel), but shipments ceased almost immediately after the regime change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mexico briefly stepped in as a lifeline, supplying roughly 44% of Cuba\u2019s foreign oil in 2025 and continuing limited exports in early 2026. However, Trump escalated on January 29 by signing an executive order declaring a \u201cnational emergency\u201d over Cuba\u2014citing its alleged ties to Russia, China, Hamas, Hezbollah, and \u201cmalign actors\u201d\u2014and authorizing tariffs on goods from any country providing oil to Havana. The order empowers the Secretaries of State, Commerce, Treasury, and Homeland Security to assess and impose penalties, putting direct pressure on Mexico and any other potential suppliers (e.g., Russia or Algeria).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White House statements framed the policy as protecting U.S. national security from Cuba\u2019s \u201cunusual and extraordinary threat,\u201d while Trump suggested the measures would force Havana to negotiate rather than trigger a full humanitarian collapse. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be a humanitarian crisis. I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cuba\u2019s response has been defiant. President Miguel D\u00edaz-Canel denounced the moves as \u201cfascist, criminal, and genocidal,\u201d accusing Washington of attempting to \u201csuffocate\u201d the economy. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodr\u00edguez called the actions \u201cunfair and dangerous,\u201d while emphasizing Cuba\u2019s sovereignty. Despite the rhetoric, analysts note Havana faces few viable alternatives: domestic production covers only a fraction of demand, and alternative suppliers risk U.S. retaliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impact on Cuban Daily Life: Blackouts, Price Spikes, and Desperation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oil cutoff has devastated Cuba\u2019s energy sector. Rolling blackouts\u2014already common\u2014now dominate daily life, halting factories, closing schools and workplaces, spoiling food in refrigerators, and crippling public transport. In Havana and other cities, residents report 18\u201322 hour outages, with power restored only briefly. Fuel lines stretch for blocks, and black-market gasoline prices have surged to levels unaffordable for most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourism, a key hard-currency earner, has collapsed amid unreliable electricity and fuel shortages. Agriculture and food distribution suffer, exacerbating shortages and inflation. The population decline accelerates as more Cubans emigrate, fleeing economic despair. Independent reports estimate the island has only weeks of reserves left without new inflows, with some analysts warning of a potential \u201ccatastrophic\u201d breakdown if no relief arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump has downplayed humanitarian fallout, insisting pressure will lead to regime change or concessions. He has floated Marco Rubio (Secretary of State and a Cuban-American) as a potential future leader, joking \u201cSounds good to me!\u201d on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cDeal\u201d on the Horizon: What Might It Entail?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump provided few details on the emerging talks, describing them as preliminary and indirect (possibly via intermediaries like Qatar or regional actors). Goals remain vague but appear maximalist: permanent curbs on Cuba\u2019s alliances with adversaries, economic reforms, or even regime transition away from communism. Trump has hinted at \u201ckind\u201d terms if Havana engages seriously, contrasting with his threats of escalation\u2014including speculation about a naval blockade (the first since the 1962 Missile Crisis).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cuba insists any dialogue must respect sovereignty and lift the decades-old embargo first. Hardliners in Havana view concessions as capitulation, but economic desperation could force pragmatism. Regional players like Mexico walk a tightrope\u2014balancing U.S. pressure with humanitarian concerns\u2014while Russia and China watch warily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As blackouts persist and prices climb, Cuba stands at a crossroads: negotiate under duress, seek alternative alliances at great risk, or endure worsening isolation. Trump\u2019s strategy blends coercion with outreach, betting that energy strangulation will bring Havana to the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether this leads to a breakthrough deal, regime collapse, or prolonged suffering remains uncertain. For millions of Cubans enduring daily darkness, the stakes could not be higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juba Global News Network will continue tracking developments in U.S.-Cuba relations and the island\u2019s energy crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources: Reuters, AP, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, CNN, The Guardian, PBS, The Washington Post, Politico, and official White House statements.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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