HAVANA, Cuba – “I have two pieces of news. One is good news and one is bad news.”
Those were the first words Elena García, a 28-year-old web designer, heard when she woke up on the morning of January 3, hours after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were abducted in a U.S. military operation.
“The good news is the water has arrived,” her boyfriend continued. “The bad news is that they kidnapped Mr. Maduro, which means there will definitely be a blackout this year.”
Supply shortages are widespread in most parts of Cuba. In Havana’s Villa Panamericana neighborhood, where Garcia lives, fresh water hasn’t been delivered for a week.
Still, compared to other parts of the city, this neighborhood is relatively well off. There are fewer power outages compared to other regions.
But until this month, Cuba had been able to rely on Venezuelan aid, including transporting fuel needed to keep its power grid running.
That changed on January 3rd. With President Maduro’s ouster, Cuba is at risk of losing one of its closest allies in the Western Hemisphere.
By January 11, US President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela would no longer supply oil and money to Cuba.
Venezuela’s threat to cut off aid is expected to further destroy Cuba’s economy and possibly cause unrest.
So far, the streets of Havana have been calm since the US attack on Venezuela, and the Cuban government has pledged to maintain relations with Venezuela.
In contrast, as the United States becomes more powerful, debate rages on social media about what happens next.
“Some people fear invasion, and some people want invasion,” said Amanda Terrero, 28, a communication professor at the University of Havana.
She explained that the country is living with uncertainty about what the future holds.
“People are even making plans to leave the country,” she says.
