One Decision Is Cuba About to Fall? A 35-Year CIA Analyst on What Comes Next
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Mar 26, 2026 Brian Latell, a 35-year CIA veteran and Cuba analyst turned academic, breaks down Havana's crisis. He discusses the fuel embargo’s pressure, risks of squeezing Cuba too hard, who actually holds power in Havana, and how a transition might unfold. Short, sharp takes on intelligence, diaspora roles in rebuilding, and the political forces shaping what comes next.
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Dearlove's Teenage Memory Of The Missile Crisis
- Sir Richard Dearlove recounts being at an American boarding school during the Cuban Missile Crisis and writing home about the threat of nuclear war.
- He found his teenage letters recently, which vividly recalled the fear and tension in Connecticut near a naval base.
Cuba Faces Its Deepest Crisis Since 1959
- The Cuban regime is in its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since 1959 with unprecedented unrest.
- Brian Latell points to July 2021 islandwide protests and harsh reprisals plus a collapsing economy and fuel shortages as drivers.
Fuel Cutoffs Are The Most Potent Lever On Cuba
- U.S. leverage now includes cutting fuel supplies after Venezuela stopped shipments, squeezing Cuba's ability to keep power and transport running.
- Latell emphasizes the loss of Venezuelan oil and Mexico's non-supply as the immediate pressure point.