Cuba

Cuba pardons 2,010 prisoners amid mounting pressure from Trump admin

The Cuban government said Thursday it had pardoned 2,010 people at the same time the Trump administration has placed extreme pressure on the government and suffocated the island with an oil blockade. Cuba's government said the pardons were a "humanitarian gesture" in connection with Holy Week and didn't mention mounting pressures with the US. The government said it had "released" foreigners and Cubans, including women, the elderly and young people. Cuban authorities didn't name who was released or under what conditions, nor did it mention the crimes they were accused of committing. Authorities also provided no details on whether any of those pardoned were protesters convicted and sentenced for terrorism, contempt or public disorder. Cuba's government does not recognise political prisoners, but the activist group Prisoners Defended registered 1,214 people imprisoned for political reasons in Cuba. Cuban authorities said the pardon decision "was based on a careful analysis of the ...

Russian tanker docks in Cuba after US allows passage despite blockade

A Russian tanker docked Tuesday at the Cuban port of Matanzas laden with 730,000 barrels of oil, marking the first time in three months that an oil tanker reached the island. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had allowed the Anatoly Kolodkin to proceed despite an ongoing US energy blockade. Cubans including Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy cheered the ship's arrival. A shortage of petroleum has exacerbated a deep economic crisis that has left the population mired in long blackouts and facing a severe shortage of food and medicine. "Our gratitude to the Government and People of Russia for all the support we are receiving. A valuable shipment that arrives amid the complex energy situation we are facing," de la O Levy wrote on X. Cuba produces barely 40 per cent of its required fuel and relies on imports to sustain its energy grid. Experts say the anticipated shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba's daily demand for ni

'No problem' with Russian oil tanker bringing relief to Cuba, says Trump

President Donald Trump on Sunday night said he has "no problem" with a Russian oil tanker off the coast of Cuba delivering relief to the island, which has been brought to its knees by a US oil blockade. "We have a tanker out there. We don't mind having somebody get a boatload because they need they have to survive," Trump told reporters as he flew back to Washington. When asked if a New York Times report that the tanker would be allowed to reach Cuba was true, Trump said: "I told them, if a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it's Russia or not." Tracking data shows the oil tanker carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of oil, was just off the eastern tip of the island on Sunday night and slated to land in the city of Matanzas by Tuesday. Journalists working for Cuban state media also reported the boat was expected to land, though Cuban officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump, whose government has come at its

With Cuba under pressure, the Castro dynasty is making a comeback

As Trump officials demand changes, Castro family members are suddenly popping up across Cuba's political scene. Some even ask: Could one be the "Cuban Delcy?"

Trump says 'Cuba's next', signals tougher stance amid West Asia conflict

The developement comes as US President Donald Trump and his allies continue to express their desire for regime change in Cuba

A Castro may lead Cuba amid rising US pressure for leadership change

As US President Donald Trump pushes for change in Cuba's leadership, speculation is mounting about who, if anyone, might replace Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. As Raul Castro's handpicked largely figurehead successor in 2018, Diaz-Canel has been the only leader without the last name Castro to govern since the 1959 revolution. He still has two years left in his term, but some experts and a growing number of Cubans doubt he'll make it. Two Castro cousins have come into focus as potential replacements, experts said. Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga - Raul Castro's 55-year-old great nephew - has shot to power since emerging from obscurity several years ago. He became minister of Cuba's influential Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment in May 2024 and was appointed the island's deputy prime minister in October. By contrast, Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro - Raul Castro's grandson - has never occupied a government post, having served as his grandfather's bodyguard and later as head of Cuba

Cuba's power grid collapses for third time this month, causing blackout

Cuba's power grid collapsed Saturday leaving the country without electricity for a third time in March as the communist government battles with a decaying infrastructure and a US-imposed oil blockade. The Cuban Electric Union, which reports to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, announced a total blackout across the island without initially giving a cause for the outage. The union later said the blackout was caused by an unexpected failure of a generating unit at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camaguey province. "From that moment, a cascading effect occurred in the machines that were online," said a report from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, which activated "micro-islands" of generating units to provide power to vital centres, hospitals and water systems. Authorities said they were working to restore power. Power outages, whether nationwide or regional, have become relatively common in the last two years due to breakdowns in the aging infrastructure. The breakdowns are ...

Cuba refuses to let US Embassy in Havana import diesel for generators

The Cuban government has refused a request by the US Embassy in Havana to allow it to import diesel for its generators while the Trump administration continues to impose a fuel blockade on the island, according to two US officials familiar with the matter. The Cuban government turned down the request as the US State Department has been weighing a reduction in staffing at the embassy in Havana because of the lack of diesel. Such a move would likely lead to a US demand for a similar reduction in staffing at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, say the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The Cuban government rejection was first reported by The Washington Post. Cuba has struggled with dwindling oil since the US removed Venezuela's leader, halting critical petroleum shipments from the nation. President Donald Trump then threatened tariffs on any country selling or supplying Cuba with oil. The island is relying on its own natural gas, solar power a

Trade with Cuba falls as Trump ramps up pressure on Communist leadership

The Cuban Communist Party has shown an astonishing resilience over six decades in power. Whether it's the United States trade embargo to counter Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, or the widespread starvation of the "special period" that followed the breakup of its Cold War patron, the Soviet Union, both US hostilities and calamities of its own making have proven no match for the country's leadership. But perhaps none of those crises pose as grave a threat as the one triggered by an all-but-declared naval siege by the Trump administration as it seeks to force regime change in the wake of its successful ousting of Cuba's longtime ally Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Even as he fights a war with Iran, President Donald Trump this week said he believes he'll have "the honor of taking Cuba" soon. While it wasn't clear exactly what he meant, the US is looking for President Miguel Diaz-Canel to leave power as part of ongoing talks with Havana that could avert some kind of US military ...

Concern, anger and hope grow in Cuba as Trump calls for 'imminent action'

A mix of uncertainty, anger and hope simmered in Cuba on Wednesday following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump this week saying that Washington could take "imminent action" against the island's government. Trump, whose government has come at its Caribbean adversary more aggressively than any U.S. government in recent history, has effectively cut Cuba off from key oil shipments in an effort to force regime change. The blockade has had devastating effects on the civilians Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio say they want to help, leaving many desperate. Island-wide blackouts have roiled Cubans already grappling with years of crisis, and lack of gasoline and basic resources has crippled hospital and slashed public transport. Matilde Visoso, a single mother caring for a sick daughter, said she's been left reeling by the island's spiraling crisis, and wants change in the Caribbean nation. "Cuba is waiting for Trump and Marco Rubio, because we can't wait any longer. It's too m

Trump, Rubio call for new leadership in Cuba amid deepening economic crisis

President Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged imminent action against Cuba's socialist government as his moves against the island bring the U.S.' longtime opponent deeper into crisis. A day after Trump's sanctions on Venezuela, including a stop to vital oil exports to Cuba, contributed to Cuba's latest nationwide blackout, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said that the administration sees the island nation as the next country where the U.S. can expand its influence. "Cuba right now is in very bad shape," Trump said. "And we'll be doing something with Cuba very soon," he added. Until recently, Trump's comments on change in Cuba might have been considered remarkable. But they come after his administration's military raid that captured then-President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela and the launch of U.S. military strikes against Iran. The Trump administration is looking for President Miguel Diaz-Canel to leave as the U.S. continues negotiating with the Cuban government, accordin

Cuba emerges from another blackout and tries to woo exile investors

The precariousness of the island of 10 million people was on full display earlier, when it suffered another national blackout, at least the sixth such outage in the span of a year

After Venezuela takeover, why Cuba is now central to Donald Trump's plans

Cuba faces a deep power and fuel crisis as US pressure tightens; amid blackouts and talks with Havana, Trump has hinted at 'taking Cuba', raising questions over a Venezuela-style strategy

Trump admin seeks removal of Cuba's President Díaz-Canel amid ongoing talks

The United States has told Cuba that for meaningful progress to be made in negotiations, President Miguel Díaz-Canel must step down, said people familiar with the talks

Cuba suffers nationwide blackout after power grid collapse amid fuel crisis

The Ministry of Energy and Mines is investigating the cause, but said that there was no damage to the power plants operating at the time of the failure

Cuba brings power grid back online, blames US oil blockade for blackout

Cuba restores its national power grid after a 16-hour blackout, blaming fuel shortages linked to the US oil blockade and an outage at the Antonio Guiteras power plant

Trump raises possibility of 'friendly takeover' of Cuba after Havana talks

President Donald Trump said Friday that the US is in talks with Havana and raised the possibility of a "friendly takeover of Cuba" without offering any details on what he meant. Speaking to reporters outside the White House as he left for a trip to Texas, Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in discussions with Cuban leaders "at a very high level." "The Cuban government is talking with us," the president said. "They have no money. They have no anything right now. But they're talking to us, and maybe we'll have a friendly takeover of Cuba." He added: "We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba." Trump didn't clarify his comments but seemed to indicate that the situation with Cuba, a communist-run island that has been among Washington's bitterest adversaries for decades, was coming to a critical point. The White House did not respond to requests for more information Friday. His remarks came two days after the Cuban government reported that a Florida-regist

Those killed in US boat encounter planned anti-govt uprising, says Cuba

Seven of 10 occupants were identified by name in a statement, which listed supplies on the boat that included assault rifles, Molotov cocktails, bullet-proof vests, telescopes and camouflage uniforms

Canada prepares aid for Cuba amid fuel shortages worsened by US oil embargo

Canada announced Monday that it is working on an aid package for Cuba as it faces blackouts and severe fuel shortages worsened by a US oil embargo. Foreign Minister Anita Anand declined to give details beyond that. "We are preparing a plan to assist. We are not prepared at this point to provide any details of the announcement," Anand said. Cuba is facing an increasingly dire energy crisis that has heightened in recent weeks after oil shipments from Venezuela, its main oil supplier, were halted when the US attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its leader. Mexico, another major supplier, then also suspended oil shipments under US pressure. Air Canada and other airlines have cancelled flights to the Caribbean island because of a shortage of aviation fuel on the island. Canadian tourism is vital to Cuba's economy. Global Affairs Canada, a governmental office, has said Canada is Cuba's second-largest source of direct investment to the island, particularly in

AI Impact Summit makes India voice of global south: Cuban Minister

Cuba's Communications Minister Mayra Arevich Marin on Saturday said the AI Impact Summit 2026 has positioned India as a leading voice of the Global South in advancing a human-centric and equitable artificial intelligence framework. Addressing the IndiaCuba IT Forum launch here after attending the summit in New Delhi on February 19 and 20, Marin described the gathering as a defining moment in global technology governance. "The AI Impact Summit 2026 has positioned India at the forefront of a human-centric artificial intelligence movement for the Global South," Marin said. She added, "Artificial intelligence is extremely important for development, but we must reduce the risks associated with its use. It must be implemented responsibly and equitably," underlining the need for innovation and regulation to progress together. Marin said the summit - attended by leaders, ministers and policymakers - reflected an emerging consensus that AI development must be inclusive, risk-aware and socia