In the Ramón González Coro maternity hospital in Havana, Cuba, I saw what that looks like in human terms. The result has been no fuel imports for three months, meaning the island is running out of diesel and fuel reserves. “No matter how much they want to help you, there are things beyond their control.”The hospital cannot carry out crucial tests. When I tell her that Trump claims sanctions are designed to help the Cuban people, she calls it “outrageous”. Trump believes that brute force can reverse the decline of US power, that this will make the world fear Washington, restoring authority.

Source: The Guardian March 25, 2026 16:01 UTC