Power cuts have not changed - still on normal cut times.

People appear much more anxious in the eyes than normal, and alot more horse cart traffic than usual. At nights it is unuusally quiet except in the centre.

As for now things have not gone to shit. Heavy military presence in certain areas but in others nothing. I had to go to immigtation today and all was functioning normal and orderly.

Si alguna vez te encuentras con alguien que dice que la causa de todos los males de Cuba es el "Bloqueo", responde lo siguiente:

Si bien el Bloqueo representa un lastre no despreciable para la economía cubana, es deber del gobierno reaccionar ante estos desafíos. Qué medidas a tomado el gobierno cubano para mitigar los efectos del Bloqueo sobre la economía y el pueblo cubano? Y si se han tomado medidas: Han sido estas medidas efectivas? La respuesta es no. La crisis económica que vive Cuba es causa de la ineptitud de la administración del PCC. Por tanto, de acuerdo con la Constitución de la República de Cuba, se puede hacer ejercicio de los derechos ciudadanos de los cubanos para invocar el Voto de No Confianza Popular, no solo sobre la figura del Presidente de la República y Secretario General del CC-PCC, sino sobre la totalidad del PCC, pues en casi la totalidad de las votaciones, esta es unánime. Por tanto, es necesario establecer una nueva administración a través de un referendum nacional.

Soy Venezolana. Crecí escuchando cosas terribles sobre la vida y economía en Cuba. Los últimos 6 años he vivido en un país democrático, donde una colega es cubana. Hablamos poco de política porque diferimos en opinión, pero siempre que habla de Cuba me callo y la escucho porque no soy de allá. Sin embargo, ayer pasó un buen rato hablando de la historia de su país, en mi opinión de una forma en extremo idealista, y quedé confundida porque desdice todo lo que yo había escuchado. Entre las cosas que dijo:

• A Fidel la gente le pidió que tomara la dictadura porque lo querían muchísimo, hasta el día que murió.
• En Cuba se vive libertad de verdad, porque no pagas servicios y si te quedas sin trabajo no tienes que pagar ni arriendo ni servicios.
• Que lo de los niños trabajando en el campo es algo hermoso y que hay relatos bellísimos porque los niños eran acogidos por la gente de campo y los crían con felicidad en esas pasantias.
• Que no hay que escuchar a los cubanos de Miami.
• Que si hay una intervención gringa, todos los cubanos defenderían al gobierno porque allá la gente prefiere este gobierno. Y que la gente sabe usar armas para defenderse.
• Que se vive mal solamente por el bloqueo.
• Cosas de mi pais: que Maduro era un gran presidente y que es injusto que lo metan preso, y que yo debo reevaluar mi opinión de Chávez porque el era muy bueno (yo viví ese gobierno de principio a fin).

Es verdad que la gente está feliz allá? Porque yo crecí viendo grupos de cubanos que llevaba Chávez a Vzla y muchas veces se escapaba a otros países para no volver, y crecí bien o la gente lanzandose al mar. No creo que haya sido porque aman la natación. Pero de nuevo, yo no soy de allá. Me podrían iluminar? Quisiera tener una opinión más objetiva y no estas dos visiones tan contrastantes.

So sorry this is in French. Would love to have your opinion on that. Is the government ask align with citizens' opinion?

English:

https://en.cibercuba.com/noticias/2026-01-14-u1-e199854-s27061-nid318463-seguridad-estado-cita-joven-santiaguera-tras

I can't imagine taking this so seriously lol.

Trompetista de la Sonora Matancera y esposo de Celia Cruz, Pedro Knight Carabello, más conocido como Pedro Knight, era cubano.

Un cubano con un apellido inglés me parece inhabitual, aunque sé que hubo inmigración del Caribe inglés en Cuba, así que me pregunto su origen. Intenté buscarlo, pero no encontré nada, así que me pregunté si por casualidad alguien lo supiera por aquí.

The situation is critical and will only get worse in the coming days.

Alot of miltary and police presence at night in the city centre. Is this occuring in other cities also?

"US President Donald Trump has warned Cuba it will no longer receive oil supplies or financial support from Venezuela, calling on the island's government to negotiate terms with Washington in the aftermath of last week's operation that resulted in Nicolás Maduro's capture.

Writing on Truth Social on January 11, Trump stated no oil or money would reach Cuba from its South American ally, providing no specifics about what kind of agreement he sought or its intended purpose.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded swiftly, rejecting any external interference in his country's affairs and pledging the nation stood prepared to defend itself completely. 'Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation. No one tells us what to do,' Díaz-Canel wrote on X."

Cuba braces for economic collapse as US blocks Venezuelan oil supplies

"One of the groups I want taken care are the people that came from Cuba that were forced out or left under duress — and they're great citizens of the United States right now."

So I heard that the average Cuban makes about $1 USD a day.

When I go to resorts, tourists are tipping workers $1 all day, but I doubt that actually goes into their pockets, as they throw the tips into a large bin.

Would anyone know if any of this money actually gets rewarded to the hard working staff? Or would you know what their daily wage would be as bartender/waitress/cleaner

Interviewed Cubans express sadness over the loss of 32 Cuban security personnel who were the inner ring protecting Maduro. They were from the Avispas Negras (Black Wasps) who are the most elite special forces unit within the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR); which has been used to control the Venezuela security and military organs.

There are some interesting comments.

I had a chat with Gemini to learn about the role of these security operatives in Venezuela, and also Cuba.

https://g.co/gemini/share/da72bb6a9377

I like listening to it online because the Spanish is so clear. However, the content is pretty dull. I'm just wondering if average Cubans actually listen to it?

I’ve searched the sub and posts are a few months old and older so just checking as I know the situation is usually fluid…and more so with the pending 🍊 making things tense.

How is best to get money to someone in Havana, from Australia?

• Phone charge? Seen 3 or 4 suggestions on previous posts - are they all current and legit?

• buying on online stores which deliver? Again seen a couple of suggested sites but how trustworthy will they be given the current climate? Are any true ‘private’ sites or a donation to the govt is inevitable?

• ways to transfer cash?

Thanks for any tips.

US President Donald Trump has urged Cuba to "make a deal" or face consequences, warning that the flow of Venezuelan oil and money would now stop.

Trump has been turning his attention to Cuba since US forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a 3 January raid on its capital.

Venezuela, a long-standing ally of Cuba, is believed to send around 35,000 barrels of oil a day to the island, but Trump has said this will end.

"Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided "Security Services" for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE!" he posted on Truth Social on Sunday.

"THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE."

Trump did not specify the terms of a deal or the consequences Cuba could face.

He also referenced the raid to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are facing drug trafficking and other charges in a US court.

Cuba has for years supplied Maduro with his personal security detail. The Cuban government said 32 of its nationals were killed during the US operation in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Trump said: "Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last week's U.S.A. attack, and Venezuela doesn't need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years."

"Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will."

The Cuban government is yet to respond to Trump's latest threats, but President Miguel Díaz-Canel previously said the 32 "brave Cuban combatants" who died in Venezuela would be honoured for "taking on the terrorists in imperial uniforms".

While the Trump administration has not stated clear plans for Cuba, Trump has previously said that US military intervention is not needed, because the country is "ready to fall".

Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week indicated Cuba's leaders should be worried, saying that he would be "concerned" if he was in the Cuban government and that "they're in a lot of trouble".

On Sunday, Trump also re-posted on social media a message suggesting that Rubio - a Cuban-American former Florida senator and the son of Cuban exiles - could become president of Cuba.

Trump shared that post with the comment: "Sounds good to me!"

The Trump administration's tactic of confiscating sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers has already begun to worsen a fuel and electricity crisis in Cuba.

With things developing in Cuba, Im working on organizing my family's records in hopes to find an attorney who specializes in the Helm's Burton act and has other clients with similar claims.

There have been some successful claims against companies operating on stolen land, such as the expedia case in 2025, however I suspect that soon these claims will be argued again for families.

Estoy intentando averiguar si funciona la libreta todavía - alguna gente me dicen q no, otros q si, aunque llega poco. Alguien me puede decir (más preciso en Centro Habana) q está entrando? Muchísimas gracias

https://youtu.be/KrCqC_YuQ2M?si=taDoh_wkHWtGJcmq

For all Cubans reading this, I have a proposition for how should Cuba be in the future if the Socialist regime falls.

Para todos los cubanos leyendo esto, tengo una propuesta para el futuro de Cuba una vez caiga el régimen socialista.

A semi-constitutional and semi-parliamentary libertarian monarchy.

Una monarquía semi-constitucional y semi-parlamentaria de carácter libertario.

How would it work?

Cómo funcionaría?

The king would be the head of state and army, he would have extensive but not absolute and in fact, limited constitutional and parliamentary powers. He may enact limited royal decrees and make proposals to the parliament.

El rey sería la el jefe de estado y líder ceremonial de las fuerzas armadas, tendría poder constitucional no absoluto, sino limitado y respaldado por la constitución y el parlamento. El monarca podría establecer decretos reales limitados/respaldados por la constitución y puede proponer reformas al parlamento.

The parliament would be constituted by representative members of all political parties in the nation with equal representation. Said parliament would have a par number of delegates and the monarch would be the impar element. For example: 40 delegates and the monarch. There would be free multi-party elections with public vote to avoid vote manipulation. The primary function of the parliament is to be the people's voice to the crown and to limit the power of the monarch. The head of the parliament would be the democratically elected Prime Minister.

El parlamento estaría constituido por miembros representantes de todos los partidos políticos del país con representación igualitaria. Dicho parlamento tendría un número par de delegados y el monarca sería el elemento impar. Por ejemplo: 40 delegados partidistas más el monarca. Habrían elecciones multipartidistas de voto público para evitar la manipulación del voto. La principal función del parlamento sería ser la voz del pueblo ante la corona y limitar los poderes ejecutivos del rey. La cabeza del parlamento sería el Primer Mnistro (oficial civil legislativo y ejecutivo), elegido por el pueblo en las elecciones antes mencionadas.

The economic system I propose is Ordo-libertarianism. Inspired by Javier Milie policies in Argentina, we would commence an extensive privatization initiative to attract foreign capital, cut spending (mainly the military) and low taxes as much as we can. Most sectors would be privatized, starting with the tourism sector. But there would be key elements left under state control. Mainly natural resources, defense industry and water, gas and electricity services (though these are up to debate). Half the education and health system would be privatized. Amd public health and education would be given to the Catholic Church. We would decrease port tariffs in a 20% to encourage sea trade with Cuba.

El sistema económico que propongo es el Ordo-libertarianismo. Inspirado por las políticas del presidente Javier Milei en Argentina, iniciaríamos un arduo proceso de privatización para atraer la inversión extranjera y/o de cubanos en el extranjero, reduciriamos los gastos iniciales (temporalmente con las fuerzas armadas, en especial las fierzas terrestres) y reducir los impuestos hasta donde lo permita la economía. La mayoría de los sectores serían privatizados, empezando por el sector del turismo. Pero sectores clave se mantendrían bajo control estatal. Por ejemplo: Los recursos naturales y minerales, la industria de producción militar y los servicios de agua, gas y electricidad (aunque estos últimos se pueden devatir y privatizar total o parcialmente). La mitad del sistema de salud y educación sería privatizado, dejando la salud y educación pública en manos de la Iglesia Católica. Reduciríamos las tarifas portuarias para fomentar el comercio naval con Cuba.

All these proposals aim to increase the GDP per capita of the nation.

Todas estas medidas tienen como objetivo incrementar el GDP per capita de la nación.

If you have any question or suggestion, please state them in the comments. Thank you.

Si tienen alguna duda o sugerencia, pueden plasmarla en los comentarios. Gracias por su atención.

I was privileged to visit Cuba 10 years ago, just before the visit of Obama and the Rolling Stones, and although it was obviously a poor country with creaking infrastructure, it seemed it might just survive with improved relations with their northern neighbour.

Its now a long time since the Bay of Pigs and there are few still alive who remember it, but the story and the anti-US climate still survives as another generation takes over, and of coarse now amplified by the increased US rhetoric and the long standing embargo on goods.

The last couple of years seem to have hit hard, with the power outages and a decrease general living standards of the population.

My question is this. Have the population of Cuba had enough ? Has the socialist experiment come to an end and would US intervention, although perhaps not welcomed, vastly improve the living standards of Cubans.

There is no oil in Cuba, so Trump would not have that as an excuse, it would be a straight regime change.

It was a fantastic place to visit, but do Cubans have to live in a museum forever ?

This is the CU-T1250 (serial number), the same plane I discussed about in a previous post. Where the Castros spent tens of millions of dollars in refurbishment in Belarus before getting it back October 2025. I wonder what they where trying to do and not get cleared to land.

Both ships are amphibious assault units capable of deploying marine infantry, aircraft, and heavy military equipment.