Key facts
- Cuban residents face severe economic hardship due to U.S. sanctions and a fuel blockade.
- The principle of "resistir" (to resist or endure) is central to Cuban coping mechanisms.
- Many Cubans fear government reprisal for expressing dissent.
- Resourceful solutions like oxen for farming and electric tricycles are emerging.
- Protests have occurred due to prolonged blackouts, with some seeking basic services.
- The UN has called the fuel blockade "unlawful" and a violation of human rights.
Cuban residents, exemplified by 64-year-old Felicia de la Caridad Alvarez of Old Havana, are demonstrating resilience amidst a severe economic crisis exacerbated by U.S. sanctions and a fuel blockade. Many Cubans live by the principle of "resistir," a tenet of the communist revolution, meaning to endure hardship. Alvarez herself struggles with daily life, facing rationing, power outages, and spoiled food, but continues to survive by fetching water and relying on a church soup kitchen. Despite predictions of collapse from U.S. President Donald Trump, the Cuban government remains in power, partly due to citizens' fear of government reprisal for dissent, a concern shared by many interviewed Cubans.
Resourcefulness is evident across the island, with farmers using oxen and electric tricycles replacing gasoline-powered vehicles, and solar panels providing alternative power. However, conditions have sharply deteriorated, with doctors fleeing, medicine scarce, and prolonged blackouts affecting daily life. The United Nations has deemed the fuel blockade "unlawful" and a violation of human rights. While protests have emerged due to the blackouts, the long-term sustainability of Cuba's situation without fuel is questioned by experts.