‘We are waiting for the Americans to save us’ – in crisis, Cubans have given up on reform from within

Thirty years after first visiting Havana, an expert in US-Cuba relations reports on his latest visit.

By: Joseph J. Gonzalez, Appalachian State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 9, 2026

Words: 1,505

Last Updated: 1 week, 3 days ago

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By Joseph J. Gonzalez, Appalachian State University

When I first visited Cuba, the island was recovering from a severe economic crisis. It was 1996, and the collapse of the Soviet Union had ushered in a prolonged period of deprivation and hardship.

On my latest visit, in early June, I encountered yet another crisis, a slow-motion humanitarian disaster.

The island is coping with severe shortages of fuel and electricity, among other

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