On December 11, 1964, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, representing revolutionary Cuba as Minister of Industries, delivered a fiery address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In a bold defiance of US imperialism and global inequities, he condemned colonialism, racial injustice, and economic blockades while defending the right of oppressed peoples to armed struggle. He concluded his speech with the iconic revolutionary slogan"Patria o muerte!"("Homeland or death!"), encapsulating Cuba's unyielding commitment to sovereignty and resistance—a phrase that has since become a timeless rallying cry for anti-imperialist movements worldwide.
But everything changed after US captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a Jan. 3 military raid. It reshaped the balance of power in the Caribbean, and left Cuba dangerously exposed. Within hours of the operation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Havana to take note. “If I lived in Havana, and I was in the government, I’d be concerned,” he said. For decades, Venezuela served as Cuba’s primary oil lifeline. Under Hugo Chávez and later Maduro, Caracas shipped more than 100,000 barrels per day of heavily subsidized fuel to the island. In return, Cuba sent doctors, teachers and security advisers — cementing a political and economic alliance that helped sustain both governments, said a Bloomberg report.
That support is now unraveling.
After Maduro’s removal, Washington moved swiftly to sever Venezuela’s oil assistance to Havana. Mexico briefly became Cuba’s main supplier, but in late January it halted shipments, citing President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on countries providing oil to Cuba.
For the first time since 2015, Cuba’s oil imports dropped to zero.
The impact has been immediate. Gasoline is rationed. The country is generating less than half the electricity it needs. Tourist resorts are closing. Airlines have been warned they may not be able to refuel. Chronic shortages of food, medicine and basic goods are worsening.
Trump recently said, “Cuba will be failing pretty soon.” But the island — just 90 miles from Florida — has survived repeated predictions of collapse.
The alliance dates back to 1999, when Hugo Chávez rose to power and forged a close ideological bond with Fidel Castro. Oil-rich Venezuela became Cuba’s benefactor, sustaining its energy-dependent economy.
Even after Chávez’s death in 2013, Maduro maintained shipments despite Venezuela’s own economic collapse. The relationship endured until Maduro’s capture, which reportedly resulted in casualties among Cuban security personnel.
Now, with Maduro facing trial in New York and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez running Venezuela under US pressure, fuel exports to Cuba have effectively stopped.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
