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Cuba

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Cuba. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Havana

Head of State

President Miguel Díaz-Canel

Head of Government

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz

Student activists Tampa, Florida, protest against the US oil embargo on Cuba on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Americas and the Caribbean

Trump says US discussing ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba: ‘they’re in big trouble’

‘They have no money, they have no oil, they have no food,’ the president says, as the US puts pressure on the Communist-run island.

28 Feb 2026 - 2:52AM

Americas and the Caribbean

Cuba coastguard kills 4 in firefight with US-registered speedboat

26 Feb 2026 - 7:19AM

US-Cuba relations

Spain to send humanitarian aid to Cuba through UN amid US fuel blockade

17 Feb 2026 - 5:51AM

China-Latin America relations

China vows to ‘do what it can’ as US blockade leaves Cuba with just weeks of oil

Beijing pledges continued support for Cuba and champions Havana’s sovereignty as the island grapples with worsening fuel shortages.

12 Feb 2026 - 7:38AMvideocam

China’s support comes as Cuba faces a critical fuel shortage after the United States blocked shipments of Venezuelan oil. Photo: Reuters

Americas and the Caribbean

Cuba warns airlines it’s almost out of fuel as US blockade tightens chokehold

Air Canada suspends Cuba flights as Havana warns it can no longer guarantee refuelling for international carriers.

10 Feb 2026 - 3:33PM

Americas and the Caribbean

‘Tracked and hunted’: US forces board tanker in Indian Ocean

US military intercepts the US-sanctioned Aquila II after a transoceanic chase from the Caribbean.

10 Feb 2026 - 3:08PM

China-Latin America relations

China keeps Cuba and Uruguay in the fold, puts Panama out in the cold

Beijing promises more aid to struggling Havana and cooperation with Montevideo as Washington looks to extend its reach in Latin America.

6 Feb 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla (left) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirm their countries’ ties in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

Americas and the Caribbean

US pledges food aid for Cuba while putting squeeze on fuel supply

Havana signals a cautious readiness for talks as the island’s leader accuses the US of imposing an ‘energy blockade’.

6 Feb 2026 - 3:35PM

Vietnam

Friend or foe? Leaked Vietnamese military document labels US ‘belligerent’

While noting that ‘there is little risk of a war’, document urges vigilance to prevent the US from finding a pretext to invade Vietnam.

4 Feb 2026 - 12:01PM

US-Cuba relations

Cuba confirms ‘communications’ with US as Trump moves to block oil

Reeling from blackouts and the loss of its Venezuelan patron, Havana confirms communications with the US but says no formal negotiations yet.

3 Feb 2026 - 3:28PM

A mechanic fixes a car on the street in Havana, as Cubans hunker into survival mode. Photo: Reuters

North Korea

North Korean ex-envoy on Kim Jong-un’s ‘decapitation’ fears after Maduro’s fall

Kim will ‘overhaul the entire system regarding his security and countermeasures in case of an attack against him’, Lee Il-kyu says.

28 Jan 2026 - 1:26PMvideocam

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a test firing of a rocket launcher system on Tuesday. Photo: KCNA via KNS/AFP

United States

Opinion | From Venezuela to Greenland, Trump is using US power to rewrite the rules

What troubles many is the inconsistency emanating from Washington. When power underwrites rules, principles become negotiable.

23 Jan 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

China sends emergency food aid to Cuba as US sanctions worsen shortages

First batch of rice arrives in Cuba under new Chinese programme while the island reels from abrupt halt in Venezuelan oil shipments.

21 Jan 2026 - 6:19PMvideocam

Vladimir Putin

How Putin’s focus on Ukraine war leaves allies Venezuela, Iran and Cuba exposed

Russia’s war in Ukraine leaves allies Venezuela, Iran and Cuba vulnerable, exposing security failures and eroding trust in Moscow’s global influence.

14 Jan 2026 - 6:48PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the Kremlin during their May 2025 meeting in Moscow. Photo: Reuters

US immigration

At least 4 migrants have died in US ICE custody since start of 2026

Reported deaths occurred in the first 10 days of the year; two of them attributed to ‘heart-related issues’.

14 Jan 2026 - 2:05PM

Federal agents and police keep protesters back outside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon in October. Photo: AFP

Mexico

Sheinbaum tells Trump US military intervention in Mexico ‘unnecessary’

Mexico’s president said she rejected Trump’s offer of sending the US military after the cartels in her country.

13 Jan 2026 - 8:49AM

US-Venezuela conflict

Cuba’s president denies being in talks with US after Trump threats

Havana rejects ‘make a deal’ ultimatum as Trump vows to cut off Venezuelan oil and money to the communist-run island.

13 Jan 2026 - 10:40AMvideocam

Asean

Opinion | Why US ops in Venezuela have shaken Asia-Pacific’s middle powers

Middle powers fear a return to ‘rules of the jungle’ geopolitics as rival powers carve out spheres of influence.

13 Jan 2026 - 1:31AMvideocam

Donald Trump

Cuba defiant after Trump threat to cut off ‘oil and money’ lifeline

Cuban president says island is prepared to ‘defend homeland to last drop of blood’ as Trump ramps up pressure after action in Venezuela.

12 Jan 2026 - 4:26PMvideocam

US-China relations

Opinion | How Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is escalating US-China rivalry

Maduro’s capture not only challenges China’s influence in Latin America but also signals a bolder US security posture that could reshuffle great-power competition.

11 Jan 2026 - 9:25PMvideocam

Protests around the world

Opinion | From memes to the streets: Gen Z’s fight back against corruption

Youth-led movements are too often treated as fleeting emotional outbursts, even though they express structured political demands.

10 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM

An activist holds a poster next to a flag bearing an image of the “Jolly Roger” from popular Japanese anime “One Piece” during a protest in Jakarta, Indonesia, in September. Photo: AP

US-Venezuela conflict

How far is China willing to help Cuba in face of increasing US pressure?

The Trump administration has turned the spotlight onto Havana after the abduction of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

10 Jan 2026 - 3:33PMvideocam

The Cuban economy has been grappling with shortages for decades. Photo: AFP

North Korea nuclear crisis

Opinion | Maduro’s fate in Venezuela hardens North Korea’s nuclear resolve

It confirms Pyongyang’s belief that leaders seen as thorns in the US side who lack nuclear weapons ultimately fall victim to US intervention.

9 Jan 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

Why China may want to avoid direct confrontation with US after Venezuela raid

Beijing may look to strengthen ties with Latin American countries, but is expected to take a cautious approach.

7 Jan 2026 - 8:10PMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

The Maduro effect: US raid accelerates Asia’s drift away from Washington

Cambodia, Laos and North Korea are expected to tighten their embrace of Moscow and Beijing amid growing distrust of the US.

7 Jan 2026 - 7:16PMvideocam

Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro is led into custody by US Drug Enforcement Administration officers at an airbase in New York on Saturday. Photo: Handout/Reuters

United States

As I see it | Monroe Doctrine 2.0 portends the end of the US empire

The eerie return of the 19th century foreign policy doctrine indicates a declining empire seeking to consolidate power in its own backyard.

7 Jan 2026 - 10:04AMvideocam

US President Donald Trump (right) speaks as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a press conference in Palm Beach, Florida, after he ordered strikes on Venezuela, on January 3. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were also captured by US special forces during the bombing raid. Photo: Reuters

US-Venezuela conflict

Trump team praises US media for keeping its Venezuela raid plan secret

Marco Rubio says a ‘number of media outlets’ held leaks before the US intervention that snatched President Nicolas Maduro.

6 Jan 2026 - 6:16PMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

China, Russia won’t ‘dare test’ US, says Hegseth after Venezuela military op

US Secretary of Defence believes show of ‘absolute deterrence’ sends clear message to their ‘enemies’ and the ‘world is taking notice’.

7 Jan 2026 - 4:52AMvideocam

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Cuba

Trump says US discussing ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba: ‘they’re in big trouble’

‘They have no money, they have no oil, they have no food,’ the president says, as the US puts pressure on the Communist-run island.

Cuba coastguard kills 4 in firefight with US-registered speedboat

Spain to send humanitarian aid to Cuba through UN amid US fuel blockade

China vows to ‘do what it can’ as US blockade leaves Cuba with just weeks of oil

Beijing pledges continued support for Cuba and champions Havana’s sovereignty as the island grapples with worsening fuel shortages.

Cuba warns airlines it’s almost out of fuel as US blockade tightens chokehold

Air Canada suspends Cuba flights as Havana warns it can no longer guarantee refuelling for international carriers.

‘Tracked and hunted’: US forces board tanker in Indian Ocean

US military intercepts the US-sanctioned Aquila II after a transoceanic chase from the Caribbean.

China keeps Cuba and Uruguay in the fold, puts Panama out in the cold

Beijing promises more aid to struggling Havana and cooperation with Montevideo as Washington looks to extend its reach in Latin America.

US pledges food aid for Cuba while putting squeeze on fuel supply

Havana signals a cautious readiness for talks as the island’s leader accuses the US of imposing an ‘energy blockade’.

Friend or foe? Leaked Vietnamese military document labels US ‘belligerent’

While noting that ‘there is little risk of a war’, document urges vigilance to prevent the US from finding a pretext to invade Vietnam.

Cuba confirms ‘communications’ with US as Trump moves to block oil

Reeling from blackouts and the loss of its Venezuelan patron, Havana confirms communications with the US but says no formal negotiations yet.

North Korean ex-envoy on Kim Jong-un’s ‘decapitation’ fears after Maduro’s fall

Kim will ‘overhaul the entire system regarding his security and countermeasures in case of an attack against him’, Lee Il-kyu says.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | From Venezuela to Greenland, Trump is using US power to rewrite the rules

What troubles many is the inconsistency emanating from Washington. When power underwrites rules, principles become negotiable.

China sends emergency food aid to Cuba as US sanctions worsen shortages

First batch of rice arrives in Cuba under new Chinese programme while the island reels from abrupt halt in Venezuelan oil shipments.

How Putin’s focus on Ukraine war leaves allies Venezuela, Iran and Cuba exposed

Russia’s war in Ukraine leaves allies Venezuela, Iran and Cuba vulnerable, exposing security failures and eroding trust in Moscow’s global influence.

At least 4 migrants have died in US ICE custody since start of 2026

Reported deaths occurred in the first 10 days of the year; two of them attributed to ‘heart-related issues’.

Sheinbaum tells Trump US military intervention in Mexico ‘unnecessary’

Mexico’s president said she rejected Trump’s offer of sending the US military after the cartels in her country.

Cuba’s president denies being in talks with US after Trump threats

Havana rejects ‘make a deal’ ultimatum as Trump vows to cut off Venezuelan oil and money to the communist-run island.

Opinion | Why US ops in Venezuela have shaken Asia-Pacific’s middle powers

Middle powers fear a return to ‘rules of the jungle’ geopolitics as rival powers carve out spheres of influence.

Cuba defiant after Trump threat to cut off ‘oil and money’ lifeline

Cuban president says island is prepared to ‘defend homeland to last drop of blood’ as Trump ramps up pressure after action in Venezuela.

Opinion | How Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is escalating US-China rivalry

Maduro’s capture not only challenges China’s influence in Latin America but also signals a bolder US security posture that could reshuffle great-power competition.

Opinion | From memes to the streets: Gen Z’s fight back against corruption

Youth-led movements are too often treated as fleeting emotional outbursts, even though they express structured political demands.

How far is China willing to help Cuba in face of increasing US pressure?

The Trump administration has turned the spotlight onto Havana after the abduction of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Opinion | Maduro’s fate in Venezuela hardens North Korea’s nuclear resolve

It confirms Pyongyang’s belief that leaders seen as thorns in the US side who lack nuclear weapons ultimately fall victim to US intervention.

Why China may want to avoid direct confrontation with US after Venezuela raid

Beijing may look to strengthen ties with Latin American countries, but is expected to take a cautious approach.

The Maduro effect: US raid accelerates Asia’s drift away from Washington

Cambodia, Laos and North Korea are expected to tighten their embrace of Moscow and Beijing amid growing distrust of the US.

As I see it | Monroe Doctrine 2.0 portends the end of the US empire

The eerie return of the 19th century foreign policy doctrine indicates a declining empire seeking to consolidate power in its own backyard.

Trump team praises US media for keeping its Venezuela raid plan secret

Marco Rubio says a ‘number of media outlets’ held leaks before the US intervention that snatched President Nicolas Maduro.

China, Russia won’t ‘dare test’ US, says Hegseth after Venezuela military op

US Secretary of Defence believes show of ‘absolute deterrence’ sends clear message to their ‘enemies’ and the ‘world is taking notice’.

Opinion | From Venezuela to Greenland, Trump is using US power to rewrite the rules