Cubans reacted with concern to President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Mexico and other countries shipping oil to Cuba.
In Spanish, Yfrain Villazon, who works at Cafe Travel in Miami-Dade, said the idea of change gives him hope, but he is afraid of the crisis on the island.
“The people are going to suffer,” Villazon said.
There were already power outages and drivers without fuel on Friday. Daniel Pinedo said he hopes the pain starts and ends quickly.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel released a statement in Spanish on X describing Trump’s pressure as “fascist, criminal, and genocidal.”
Sebastian Arcos, of Florida International University’s Cuban Research Institute, said the pressure will result in a complete shutdown of the Cuban economy.
“It is dramatic, and in my opinion, it’s checkmate,” Arcos said.
Arcos said he will be waiting to see if the desperation prompts Cubans on the island take to the streets and protest.
“The Cuban regime, facing protests in the streets, will have to decide if they will negotiate,” Arcos said.
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