Cuba Receives Rice Shipment from China Amid US Embargo
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the aid as a “noble gesture of solidarity” that would reach millions across all Cuban provinces, including health and education institutions. He stated that the friendship and cooperation between Havana and Beijing have strengthened during critical times.
Chinese Ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, said the assistance is the “largest food aid” Beijing has provided to Cuba in recent years, part of a Chinese emergency aid package to help Cuba tackle worsening economic crisis.
Cuba Faces Tough Times
The crisis in Cuba has intensified since the United States (US) overthrew Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January and halted Caracas’s oil supplies to Havana. Cuba, which has long relied on Venezuelan oil, now faces prolonged power outages across most regions.
National power company data showed up to 64% of Cuba was simultaneously without electricity on Sunday. The Cuban government acknowledged the energy sector is in an “acute”, “critical”, and “extremely tense” state. In Havana, power cuts have reportedly lasted over 22 hours.
Last week, Cuba recorded a record 70% of its territory losing power during peak electricity consumption. The government blames the US oil embargo, which complements the trade embargo since 1962, as the main cause of the national energy system’s collapse. Havana views Washington’s policies as an attempt to “strangle” the Cuban economy.
US Pressure
Cuba requires around 100,000 barrels of oil daily for energy needs, but domestic production only supplies about 40,000 barrels. Independent studies estimate Cuba needs between $8 billion and $10 billion to restore its energy system.
Amid this situation, the Trump administration has continued to escalate political pressure on Havana. Hardline Cuban-American groups in Florida have pushed for regime change in Havana for decades. However, analysts believe toppling Diaz-Canel’s government would not be as straightforward as the operation against Venezuela.
Orlando Perez, a Latin America relations expert from the University of North Texas, said Cuban security forces have dismantled nearly all potential alternative opposition forces over the years.
He also noted Cuba’s military is more ideologically solid than Venezuela’s and better prepared for potential foreign intervention. Additionally, Havana is seen as having more advanced surveillance and intelligence capabilities due to long-term cooperation with the Soviet Union during the Cold War and, more recently, with China.
Castro Steps into Spotlight
Recent attention has turned to former President Raúl Castro. The 94-year-old Cuban revolutionary figure last appeared publicly at the International Workers’ Day commemoration on 1 May at Havana’s coastal area. Under the blazing sun, he stood firm among tens of thousands attending a government power demonstration.
Behind him were his personal guards led by his grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro. The appearance was rare for Castro, the last surviving figure of Cuba’s revolutionary generation, who is believed to retain significant influence within the power circle despite maintaining a low profile.
Castro’s name resurfaced after US federal prosecutors announced charges against him over the 1996 shooting down of two civilian planes operated by the Miami-based Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Four US citizens died in the incident. At the time, Castro was Cuba’s Defence Minister. The charges include murder and aircraft destruction.
US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated Washington hopes Castro “will appear here, of his own accord or otherwise” when announcing the charges at a press conference in Miami. Blanche’s remarks, coupled with comments from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have reignited concerns about possible US military intervention in Cuba.