Sensemaker Is Cuba Donald Trump’s next target?
Mar 25, 2026
William LeoGrande, a longtime scholar of U.S.-Cuba relations and professor of government, breaks down Cuba’s fuel shortages and economic collapse. He discusses tightened U.S. sanctions, the halt of Venezuelan oil shipments, and the migration surge. He also outlines risks from Russian oil deliveries and how economic pressure, not invasion, shapes U.S. aims.
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Cuba Facing Systemic Energy Collapse
- Cuba's economy is collapsing with fuel and electricity shortages crippling public services.
- William LeoGrande details no buses, scarce gasoline, and hospitals failing due to power cuts that show systemic energy dependence.
U.S. Pressure Created An Energy Blockade
- U.S. actions have created an effective energy blockade by cutting Venezuelan oil shipments and threatening third-party suppliers.
- The executive order and U.S. seizures scared tankers away, leaving Cuba without reliable imports.
Historic Emigration Indicates Social Collapse
- The crisis is driving historic emigration with over a million people leaving since the pandemic.
- William LeoGrande calls it a possibly 1–1.5 million outflow, the largest in Cuban history, reflecting mass desperation.