Cuba

Drivers in Cuba are facing the prospects of waiting several months to refuel their cars, as fuel shortages caused by a U.S. oil siege intensify. To avoid chaos outside gas stations, Cuba's government last week made it obligatory for drivers to use an app known as Ticket to get refueling appointments.

COMMENTARY President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio seem to have tuned out Venezuelan and Cuban exile leaders — and their own rhetoric about blocking China's influence in the Americas.

Miami Republican Congressmen Carlos Gimenez and other Cuban exile leaders are urging the Trump administration to cancel all export licenses that send luxury goods to communist Cuba — even though data indicate it's hardly a problem.

In a Feb. 13 letter to President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, the lawmakers want federal law enforcement authorities “to review previously compiled evidence, take a fresh look at command responsibility at the highest levels of the Cuban regime, and use every available legal tool to hold accountable those responsible for the killing[s].”

If you’re planning on a winter break to Cuba, get ready for an adventure rather than a vacation. If you’re wondering if United States President Donald Trump’s oil embargo will shatter Cuba’s Communist government, dig in for a drawn-out slog. And if you’re Cuban, brace for a nightmare.

On Thursday, the ships carry large loads of food, hygiene supplies, and powdered milk. Mexico says one ship brings about 536 tons of items like rice, beans, canned fish, and oil. Mexico says the second ship carries over 277 tons of powdered milk. President Claudia Sheinbaum says Mexico ships aid while talks continue on oil supplies.

COMMENTARY As the U.S. cuts off oil to Cuba, Havana's communist regime and Miami's exile leadership remain locked in a zero-sum mindset that risks greater humanitarian catastrophe on the island.

Cuban aviation officials have warned airlines of a fuel shortage for refueling on the island. This is part of energy rationing as the Trump administration cuts Cuba off from its fuel sources. A commercial pilot confirmed the notice was sent Sunday.

Nicaragua's government on Sunday blocked Cuban citizens from entering the country without a visa, effectively cutting off a key route for Cuban migration to the United States at a time when the Trump administration has put the Caribbean island in an economic chokehold.

Gov. Ron DeSantis took part in a dedication of a statue for President Ronald Reagan at Florida International University on Friday as part of his commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. FIU officials also announced a new initiative aimed at supporting Cuba’s transition to democracy.

COMMENTARY As the U.S. cuts off global oil to Cuba, the island's communist regime could get President Trump to back off by offering something he's showing special interest in: dictatorship consulting.

The XV Conference on Cuban and Cuban American Studies is set to take place February 26–27 at FIU's Modesto A. Maidique campus.