Talk To People In Cuba And You'll Hear The US Underestimates Them

He points to Venezuela's history of political betrayals, from the conspiracies against independence leader Simon Bolívar in the early 19th century to the attempted coup against former president Hugo Chávez in 2002 and now the removal of Maduro, apparently betrayed by someone close to him. Antonio insists Cubans remain loyal to their ideals of revolution and sovereignty:“The US can try to strangle us with sanctions, but they won't break us.”

While much of the world reacts with alarm to Trump's escalating threats against Mexico, Colombia, Iran and even Greenland, Cubans have barely flinched. Hostility from the US is nothing new, and there is general confidence in the country's longstanding preparation for any potential escalation with what they see as an old adversary.“We've been getting ready for this war for more than 65 years,” one resident remarked.

Trump insists that, when Cuba finally collapses, a better future awaits it.

That argument that has been amplified by mainstream international media.

But this strikes many Cubans as detached from their lived reality.

We spoke to Alejandro, a 20‐year‐old law student, who dismissed this idea as wishful thinking:“They're wrong if they think they know what's best for us.”

Cuba is living through one of its most difficult periods since the 1990s.

Power cuts, water shortages, scarce foreign currency, falling tourism and rising prices shape daily life for most people.

Sanctions imposed after the socialist revolution in 1959 – and later tightened under Trump following a brief thaw under the presidency of Barack Obama – have intensified these hardships. However, there is little sign that Cubans are waiting for Trump's help.

Many western analysts say the halt in Venezuelan oil imports will be devastating for Cuba, arguing that the island has no real alternatives. Cubans seem to think otherwise.“We'll get oil from the Middle East, from Mexico – we don't rely on Venezuela as much as they say,” says Yadira, a housekeeper.

Still, the reality is more nuanced. While Mexico has now overtaken Venezuela as Cuba's main oil supplier, providing nearly half of the island's crude oil in 2025, it also has to deal with increasing pressures from Washington to align with US foreign policy goals in the region. These pressures forced the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, to clarify on January 7 that, while oil exports to Cuba are continuing, they will not increase.

Losing Venezuelan imports alone may not cause Cuba to collapse, but the impact will be serious and uneven. Cities, which depend heavily on fuel-intensive transport and electricity, will suffer most. And as past crises show, distribution can break down even when food is available.

“During Covid, all I could get hold of in Havana was mangoes and spring onions,” says Sophie, a British expat. Cuba's vulnerability lies less in total isolation and more in the fragility of its internal systems – especially those that keep urban life functioning.

Beneath the surface of stoic resilience, subtle cracks are beginning to show. Albeit timidly, some Cubans point to internal governance failures.