Economist Podcasts Hasta la victoria, quizás: Cuba’s broken economy
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Mar 27, 2026 
Sarah Birke, The Economist’s Caribbean bureau chief, unpacks Cuba’s deepening economic collapse, from blackouts and shortages to fears of chaos and talk of reform. Natasha Loder, health editor, and Tim Cross, senior science writer, explore the online peptide boom, influencer hype and regulatory gaps. Ann Wroe, obituaries editor, reflects on Chuck Norris’s unlikely path from shy boy to macho myth.
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Cuba’s Crisis Was Built Before Trump Tightened It
- Cuba’s collapse reflects both the American embargo and decades of state mismanagement, not just Trump’s latest squeeze.
- Sarah Birke notes sugar exports fell 90% between 1990 and 2010 while the state still fixes prices and misallocates resources.
US Pressure May Win Concessions Not Regime Change
- America’s pressure is weakening Cuba, but it may mainly force economic concessions rather than democratic change.
- Sarah Birke says talks now include Raúl Castro, with demands focused on restructuring state firms, monetary reform, and access for American and exile investors.
Cuba May Drift Toward A Venezuela Style Outcome
- Cuba looks less likely to erupt than to drift toward a Venezuela-style managed transition that preserves key regime insiders.
- Sarah Birke says young potential protesters have emigrated, the population is old, and Washington may settle for removing a non-Castro president while leaving the family network intact.
