Aug. 31: US Embassy in Havana issues health warning to those traveling to Cuba
The U.S. Embassy in Havana issued a health warning to anyone traveling to Cuba late last week due to the lack of electricity and water and deteriorating sanitary conditions on the island.
In addition, theft and robberies have increased in Cuba due to the dire socio-economic needs the Cuban people find themselves in.
The Cuban police have arrested a number of Cubans on the island that continue to criticize the government and protest on the streets for lack of freedom.
Aug. 28: Where is Marco?
With all the political instability around the world that the U.S. is dealing with, you begin to wonder where is our Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio?
Trump’s son-in-law and businessman Jared Kushner; businessman and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff; and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, have traveled overseas on numerous diplomatic missions and most recently CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin after traveling to Cuba months ago and meeting with the Minister of the Interior, General Julio Casas.
There is no doubt in my mind that Marco Rubio is qualified and has the experience for the positions he holds. He also has a very good senior staff around him. Maybe his absence during these diplomatic missions is the fact that he knows very well that Trump’s foreign policy lacks clear strategical purpose and could backfire on him as they have on Trump, indicated by the polls.
Many in the Cuban-American community raised their hopes that given that we have a Cuban-American secretary of state, that Cuba would finally be free from their totalitarian government by the end of 2026 -- now it’s looking that we will have to wait until 2029. Regime change certainly did not happen in Venezuela.
If Rubio is going to run for president next time around, he does not need to be blamed for these foreign policy failures around the world. But eventually, he will have to explain to the American people what his role was.
The question remains whether or not he will remain in the Trump administration after the mid-term elections this coming November?
Aug. 26: For many young Cubans on the island, time has run out
Years ago, a young Cuban man sat one morning in the famous Malecon of Havana, looking at the ocean and said to himself “Either they kill me or I will kill myself,” feeling the frustration of living and surviving each day in Cuba.
On July 11, 2021, many young Cubans took to the streets of the island nation after years of frustration to protest the living conditions they faced each day. There were many expectations that change was not far away. As a result, many of the protesters were thrown in jail or kicked out of the country.
Five years later, with the many sanctions that have been placed by the U.S. on the Cuban government and their leaders, many of these same youngsters felt the end of the regime was near. In South Florida, the feeling was mutual. Politicians in South Florida said the regime would fall by the end of 2026. Now the same politicians say that Cubans on the island and Miami need to be patient. Change could come by 2029.
For many young Cubans on the island, time has run out. There is no more waiting. No more suffering. No more empty promises. Many of them have started to leave Cuba to anywhere around the world. For Cuban-Americans in South Florida, it is just one more disappointment.
Aug. 25: What will happen when Raul Castro dies?
Washington, D.C. keeps sanctioning the Cuban government and members of the elite. The Cuban government has shown their capability to survive at the cost of the Cuban people. The question I ask myself is what will happen when Raul Castro dies?
Will those Cuban military officers that have not benefited from the economic corruption within the government be willing to support someone Castro picks to succeed him? Or will they challenge the new leadership?
Aug. 21: CEPAL releases economic performance indicators for 2026, predicting Cuba’s economy will slow down 10.3%
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) just came out with their economic performance indicators for 2026. It predicts that Cuba’s economy will slow down 10.3%, which is the worse performance in all of Latin America.
How much more will the Cuban people be able to take is anybody’s guess.
Aug. 20: Cuba’s president says health system on verge of total collapse
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel admitted earlier this week that the health system, one of the so-called “great accomplishments” of the Cuban revolution, is on the verge of total collapse. There are thousands of Cubans on the island waiting for surgeries that cannot be performed due to the lack of doctors, medicines, equipment and poor hospital conditions.
For years, Cuba has been sending medical brigades around the world to help pay-off their debt and export the ideals of their revolution. The U.S. government has accused Cuba of human trafficking for these actions.
Aug. 18: Trump’s Cuba strategy: Is there really a plan?
Does the Trump administration really have a plan for Cuba?
After months of rhetorical back-and-forth, you begin to wonder whether the Trump administration really knows what to do with Cuba. We keep hearing that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was given the responsibility to deal with Cuba and the rest of Latin America, which he knows extremely well. But from what I hear, White House senior staff keeps getting in the way.
Continuing to sanction operations and individuals in Cuba will not bring down the government. Now we hear from Secretary Rubio and members of our Cuban-American congressional delegation that the target date has been moved back, and they hope that by 2029, changes in Cuba will have taken place, which is absolutely ridiculous.
Aug. 14: Cuba turns to global investors as US sanctions and property claims raise risks
The Cuban government has realized that efforts to attract investment from U.S. and Cuban-American businesses have largely failed because of the many sanctions imposed by the United States and the fact that the risks still outweigh the opportunities.
However, the Cuban government is trying very hard to attract companies from around the world to take over many operations and businesses in Cuba. With many European hoteliers and other companies having recently left Cuba, it will still be a challenge to attract new investors.
One thing these companies should keep in mind before starting operations in Cuba is that they could be operating in properties that were confiscated by the Cuban government in the early 1960s. They could potentially face legal challenges in the future as a result.
For American companies alone, there are 5,913 businesses and properties that were confiscated and registered with the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Aug. 13: Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday prompts reflection on his legacy in Cuba
Thursday marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro, a man whose narcissistic personality took control of Cuba after overthrowing Fulgencio Batista on Jan. 1, 1959. He made promises to the Cuban people that he later betrayed for his own selfish ambitions and thirst for power.
At his trial on Oct. 16, 1953, following the failed attack on the Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba, he famously said, “History will absolve me.”
In the end, history will judge him as a ruthless dictator who destroyed Cuba, impoverished its people and inflicted tremendous suffering on an entire nation.
Aug. 12: Cuba poses a tough foreign policy challenge for Rubio
“Who is on first, what is on second, I don’t know is on third.”
The famous comedy routine by Abbott and Costello can be compared to the Trump administration’s foreign policy strategies these days. Diplomatic negotiations are complex and complicated, especially when dealing with countries, governments, and individuals with whom the United States has not had good relationships.
Reliable sources tell me there are tremendous differences between the staffs at the White House and the Department of State over how to handle negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia, Israel-Gaza, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba. It does not help when those negotiating on behalf of the United States have limited to no diplomatic experience.
For now, let’s stay within the area of expertise: Cuba. While President Trump thinks Cuba can be resolved in two months, Secretary of State Marco Rubio knows very well, as does his senior staff, that negotiating with Cuba is not easy.
The Cuban government is willing to continue introducing cosmetic changes to its moribund economy without relinquishing political control. The United States can continue to sanction everyone on the island, and the Cuban government could not care less. All the while, the people of Cuba continue to suffer tremendous hardships. Yet the people are unlikely to turn against the government. The consequence of doing so can mean spending years in jail.
Meanwhile, in Miami, the guessing game continues over who will replace Raúl Castro when he dies, along with preparations for possible transition plans for Cuba. A transition to a democratic system of government in Cuba will take time. A civil society cannot be built overnight. It is also important to remember that Cuba did not have a democratic government before 1959.
For Rubio, expectations from the Cuban American community are high. Yet most in the community understand that it will not be easy to get the Cuban government to make political changes short of a U.S. military invasion. However, Rubio needs a win, especially if he is considering another presidential run. The failures of the Trump administration’s foreign policies around the world could affect Rubio’s future presidential campaign.
So, what will be Rubio’s next step on Cuba? The clock is ticking.
Aug. 10: Will the cat catch the mouse this time?
While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues to put pressure on the Cuban government to change, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel went on Cuban television this past weekend and announced to the Cuban people that the government was making major “transformational changes” to the economy.
Díaz-Canel also told the Cuban people that it would take time and patience -- two things the Cuban people do not have anymore. Díaz-Canel went on to say that the benefits of these changes will begin to show by 2029.
Sources in Washington, D.C. have told me that the Trump administration is looking to see if there is someone in the Cuban government, like Delcy Rodriguez in Venezuela, to hand over Raul Castro or even take over the current government and be willing to negotiate with the U.S.
The Miami Herald reported this weekend that General Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas, currently the Cuban Minister of the Interior, may be acceptable to the U.S. General Casas is considered a hardliner and therefore unlikely to break with the Cuban leadership.
As I have said before, the case of Venezuela is quite different than Cuba. While Raul Castro is alive, I believe the Cuban government will continue in power and make promises to the Cuban people they cannot keep.
Aug. 8: Cuban opposition leader says Cuba’s transformation must include those on the island
According to Cuban opposition leader Jose Daniel Ferrer, any plans to transform Cuba must include Cubans on the island.
But do Cubans on the island have the capacity and capabilities to participate in such a process? After living for almost 68 years under a totalitarian system that has shaped the population’s personal values and attitudes, it could take time not only to change it but, more importantly, to sustain those changes.
Democracies are not built in one day. It will take time and patience. Let’s also remember that before the Cuban Revolution, Cuba had a dictatorship under Batista.
Aug 6: US announces new set of economic sanctions against Cuba; 2 of Cuba’s top generals also sanctioned
The U.S. State Department announced a new set of economic sanctions against Cuba on Thursday. At the same time, two of Cuba’s top generals were also sanctioned, Alvaro Lopez Miera, Minister of Defense; and General Roberto Sotolongo, head of the armed forces.
Aug. 5: CIA Task Force on Cuba created, per report
The New York Times has reported the creation of a CIA Task Force on Cuba with the purpose of putting additional pressure on the Cuban government to make political and economic changes to their system.
This news will probably be received by Cuba as an additional threat by the U.S.
Aug. 5: Cuban president confirms ongoing conservations between Havana, US
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed today that there are ongoing conversations between Havana and DC for the purpose of avoiding a military confrontation and trying to find solutions to the issues between both nations.
The Cuban government understands that they are running out of options and most likely will need to reach an agreement with the U.S. Will it include regime change?
Aug. 3 update: Rubio speaks about Cuba’s ongoing espionage activities in the US
This past weekend, in an interview with Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio spoke about Cuba’s ongoing espionage activities in the U.S.
Rubio went on to say that Cuban spies continue to infiltrate the U.S. government, financial institutions, organizations, and academic institutions. Rubio claimed that Cuba continues to be a national security threat to the U.S.
Dr. Andy S. Gomez is Local 10’s Cuba Analyst. Gomez is considered one of the leading scholars on Cuba. He worked in higher education for 32 years before retiring from the University of Miami in 2012.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
