Cuba; Cuba Faces Blackouts Affecting 69% of the Island; Extreme Poverty Reaches 94% in Cuba; U.S. Does Not Rule Out Military Action in Cuba.

Friday, August 14, 2026. Cuba Few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean carry the historical, political and emotional weight of Cuba. For more than six decades, the island has stood almost frozen in a geopolitical struggle that began during the Cold War but, remarkably, continues to shape its future today. In 2026, however, Cuba may be approaching one of the most consequential moments in its modern history. The United States has significantly increased pressure on the Cuban government, and discussions that once seemed largely theoretical, including the possibility of fundamental political change on the island, have moved increasingly into the public conversation. At the same time, Cuba is confronting a profound economic and energy crisis. For years, Venezuela provided the island with heavily subsidized petroleum, helping sustain an economy that could not independently meet its energy requirements. With that lifeline dramatically reduced, fuel shortages, electrical blackouts and economic hardship have exposed just how fragile the Cuban system has become. Yet Cuba should never be viewed solely through the lens of politics. It remains one of the most fascinating and beautiful islands in our hemisphere, a country of extraordinary beaches, historic cities, music, architecture, culture and, above all, people whose warmth and resilience have survived generations of political and economic uncertainty. Walking through Havana can sometimes feel like walking through another era, while beyond the capital lies a remarkably diverse island stretching more than 1,200 kilometers across the Caribbean. Whatever one’s political perspective, the people of Cuba deserve the opportunity to determine a future that offers greater prosperity, stability and opportunity. Perhaps we are witnessing the beginning of a new chapter. Perhaps change will come gradually, or perhaps events will move considerably faster than anyone expects. But one can hope that someday Cuba will no longer be discussed primarily in terms of sanctions, ideology, shortages and political confrontation. Instead, perhaps we will simply talk about visiting Havana, walking the Malecón, enjoying its music and food, exploring the countryside, and rediscovering one of the Caribbean’s truly remarkable islands. This week, we turn our attention to Cuba, an island with an extraordinary past, an uncertain present, and hopefully, a much brighter future. Brett Mikkelson Founder, B.M. Investigations, Inc. – Private Investigations in Panama TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: Cuba Commemorates Fidel Castro’s Centennial with the Presence of His Brother, Raúl Castro Cuba commemorated this Thursday, August 13, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro (1926–2016) with a political and cultural event at Havana’s Karl Marx Theater, attended by his brother and former president Raúl Castro (2008–2018), as well as relatives of the leader of the Cuban Revolution. Raúl Castro, who has retired from his official positions and is now described in official terminology as the “leader at the helm of the Cuban Revolution,” was accompanied by President Miguel Díaz-Canel and senior representatives of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC, the country’s only legal political party) and the government, as well as relatives of both brothers, including Fidel Castro’s widow, Dalia Soto del Valle. During the cultural event, which featured the Cuban children’s theater company La Colmenita, a presentation through images and songs traced the life of the man who served as the Caribbean nation’s president for nearly half a century. Díaz-Canel spoke during the event, highlighting Fidel Castro’s legacy and stating that he dedicated his life “to fighting for all just causes.” The president said that Castro “lives forever” as a “warrior, rebel and a just [man] (…) of Humanity,” adding that Cuba carries forward his legacy of “independence, revolution, values and the achievements represented by socialism.” Under these principles, Díaz-Canel said, “we are undertaking a process of economic and social transformations,” referring to a package of 176 reforms approved this June aimed at liberalizing and decentralizing the island’s economy, which has been mired in a deep crisis for more than six years. Díaz-Canel again criticized the U.S. government, accusing it of being a “fascist regime” that is “tightening the screws” on the Caribbean nation through a “brutal and immoral imperial siege aimed at the extermination of our people.” The political and cultural event at Havana’s Karl Marx Theater also marked the closing of the First International Colloquium “Fidel: Legacy and Future,” which had been held since August 10 at the capital’s Convention Center and was attended by more than 1,000 Cuban and foreign delegates. This week on the island has been marked by various activities centered on the figure of Fidel Castro. On Thursday, the centenary of his birth also prompted tributes from countries such as Russia. On Thursday, hundreds of Russians gathered in front of the statue of the leader of the Cuban Revolution in Moscow. During the event, Communist Party of Russia (CPR) leader Gennady Zyuganov said that “Fidel Castro is a model and an example to follow (…) in these difficult times, to achieve victory over the most evil forces in history.” Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin had sent messages to Raúl Castro and Díaz-Canel in which he described Fidel Castro as a “symbol of freedom, justice and patriotism both for Cubans themselves and for millions of people in different countries around the world.” Meanwhile, Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, also sent a congratulatory message to Cuba on the occasion of Castro’s centenary, highlighting his role “in laying the foundations for and promoting” relations between the Caribbean nation and China, which, he said, “have become a model of cooperation among socialist countries.” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, for his part, expressed gratitude on Wednesday for “the encouragement” Fidel Castro had given to his political career and called for “fraternity and justice to endure amid adversity” for the Cuban people, in a message delivered to Havana by intellectual and theologian Frei Betto. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE Cuba’s Largest Blackout Will Affect Up to 69% of the Island at the Same Time The island has been experiencing a deep energy crisis since mid-2024, which has