The Americas Quarterly Podcast Cuba’s Unprecedented Crisis
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Apr 17, 2025 
Patrick Oppmann, CNN's Havana bureau chief and a seasoned correspondent on Cuba, delves into the island's unprecedented crisis. He highlights the economic struggles leading to a mass exodus, with 20% of the population leaving in five years. The discussion covers the fragility of Cuba's private sector, the regime's reluctance to reform, and Raul Castro's ongoing influence. Oppmann also explores the challenges of U.S. foreign policy and the limited support from international allies like China and Russia, emphasizing the dire daily realities faced by Cubans amid rolling blackouts and inflation.
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Cuba's Crisis Is Systemic And Deep
- Cuba faces its deepest crisis in decades with blackouts, economic collapse, and mass emigration.
- Up to 20% of the population left in five years, straining social and institutional resilience.
Comparing Today's Hardship To the Special Period
- Patrick Oppmann recounts living through worse shortages now than after the Soviet collapse.
- He notes an emerging 1% who thrive while 99% face harsher living conditions than before.
Bad Luck Plus Failed Reform
- The crisis stems from COVID, harsher U.S. sanctions, and failed domestic reforms.
- Cuban bureaucracy and slow policy follow-through magnify external shocks into deep shortages.