The President’s Inbox Cuba on the Brink, With Michael Bustamante
19 snips
Feb 25, 2026 
Michael Bustamante, Chair in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, offers a concise look at escalating U.S. pressure on Cuba and its ripple effects. He discusses Venezuela’s halted oil shipments and resulting outages. He covers Russia and China’s limited roles, legal questions around a de facto blockade, and how shortages drive migration and protests.
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Targeting Cuba's Oil To Maximize Pressure
- The U.S. pressure campaign targeted Cuba's oil lifelines to cripple essential services and force negotiations.
- Cutting Venezuelan oil and threatening tariffs (especially aimed at Mexico) produced rolling blackouts, halted transport, and trash buildup in Cuban cities.
Tariff Ruling Alters Leverage But Pressure Continues
- The Supreme Court decision limiting presidential tariff authority complicates U.S. threats but other indirect pressures remain effective.
- Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum faces domestic expectations to aid Cuba while weighing trade and security pressures from Washington.
Limited Great Power Backup For Havana
- Russia and China can partially plug Cuba's gaps but are cautious about openly confronting the U.S. near its hemisphere.
- Moscow could supply oil but may be reluctant to 'poke the United States in the eye'; China offers solar and aid but not enough to replace oil imports.