Political situation in Cuba

The blockade deepens the economic crisis in Cuba

The US oil embargo against Cuba has triggered one of the country's worst economic and energy crises in decades, reports the AP.

Ten years ago, things looked different. As the US and Cuba began to thaw relations and the US eased its travel restrictions, tourism increased sharply, and money began to flow in.

In 2018, a record 4.7 million people visited the island.

In February of this year, 77,600 tourists were registered – almost 100,000 fewer than the same month last year. Major airlines have stopped flying to the island, buses stop running at 6 p.m. to save fuel, and gasoline sales are limited to 20 liters per car.

“This is worse than the special period,” 65-year-old Dolores de la Caridad Méndez told the news agency.

The special period followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s and involved several years of deep economic crisis.

Havana's nightlife has fallen silent in the wake of the crisis

The nightlife in Havana, the capital of Cuba, has largely died as a result of the US oil embargo. This is reported by the AP.

Tourism has also plummeted, and the previously lively streets and nightlife in Havana have fallen silent.

- I feel empty when I see my streets empty. I cannot be happy when my country is sad, says Yusleydi Blanco, a 41-year-old accountant.

Between 2021 and 2024, over a million people have also left the country - mainly young people, but also musicians, actors, dancers and others who previously ran Havana's nightlife.