The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson talks about the energy crisis in Cuba, which has crippled the country and left them at the mercy of the Trump administration.
CBC News · Posted: Feb 13, 2026 6:00 AM EST | Last Updated: February 13
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Smoke rises from smoke stakes at an oil refinery in Havana Bay, Cuba, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) (AP)LISTEN | FRONT BURNER:
Front Burner26:56Cuba is pushed to the brink
Cuba has been facing rolling blackouts, food shortages, and rationed hospital resources after a month with no oil imports. The energy crisis has also been a major blow to the country’s tourism industry, as major airlines suspended service to the country.
The cutoff came after the United States severed the island’s access to Venezuelan oil in January, and then warned any country supplying Cuba it could face retaliation.Â
The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson has been reporting on the region for decades. He joins us to talk about how the Trump administration hopes this could end communist rule in the country.
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