THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Cuba's private businesses navigate a narrow opening Public radio’s longest-running daily global news program. ©2026The World from PRX PRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402. For decades, Washington has pressured Havana to open its economy to private investment. Those calls grew more urgent in recent weeks as the US oil blockade pushed Cuba’s economy into a tailspin. Now, the Trump administration has begun easing certain trade restrictions, while officials on the island are making overtures to the nascent private sector. Ricardo Herrero of the Cuba Study Group discusses the implications with The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler. A person watches the oil tanker Ocean Mariner, Monrovia, arrive to the bay in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. In Cuba, food is scarce and power outages are frequent as the island grapples with Washington’s blockade of Venezuelan oil. This adds to the decadeslong economic stagnation caused by an US Embargo and a rigid state-controlled economic system. “You have an electricity grid on the verge of complete collapse with the island suffering repeated nationwide blackouts in some provinces two to three days in a row before they …

Cuba’s hotels sit empty as US pressure campaign drives tourists away Video Ad Feedback As US pressure mounts, Cuba's tourism sector is disappearing 4:38 • Source: CNN As US pressure mounts, Cuba's tourism sector is disappearing 4:38 The Caribbean Aviation news See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Lee el artículo en español Havana, Cuba — Cuba’s tourism sector seems to have everything from white sandy beaches to Spanish colonial forts. Everything except for tourists. The island’s economy has been caught in a death spiral following a barrage of sanctions levied by the Trump administration against the communist-run government. As services break down and shortages worsen, foreign visitors –– and the income they bring — have vanished faster than the ice in a mojito on a summer day. Former tourism hot spots are now ghost towns, including Old Havana, the original settlement of the Cuban capital which was founded in the 16th century and is considered to be among the best-preserved examples of Spanish colonial architecture in the Americas. “There are no tourists,” said Elio, one half of a guitar duo that has played traditional Cuban music for nearly 30 years…

Russia promises to rescue the Cuban economy and bring "prosperity" to ... Russia promises to rescue the Cuban economy and bring "prosperity" to the Island Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Chernishenko claims he is traveling to the Island on Putin's orders and, according to Granma, is committed to "defending Cuban sovereignty." This promise comes after the think tank Cuba Siglo XXI stated in CiberCuba that the U.S. does not rule out military action on the Island in the event that the regime uses force to suppress a popular uprising Latest News By Tania Costa Friday, April 4, 2025 - 1:13 PM Share on: The Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernishenko, visiting Cuba since Wednesday, has promised that his country "will help achieve sovereignty, economic well-being, and prosperity" for the Island. This promise comes at a critical moment for the Castro regime, which meets all criteria to be considered a failed state, except for losing territorial control. The Granma newspaper, for its part, has highlighted the Russian official's statements regarding Putin's military support. "Russia will always stand by Cuba and will assist it in defending its sovereignty," emphasized the officia…

Online portal used to send US deliveries to Cuba stops taking orders By: Gisela Salomon, The Associated Press Posted: 4:04 PM CDT Monday, Jun. 15, 2026 Advertisement Advertise with us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later MIAMI (AP) — One of the main online platforms that Cubans living in the United States use to send money, food, and clothing to their relatives on the island is ceasing operations as the Trump administration increases pressure on the Cuban government. Read this article for free: or Already have an account? Log in here » To continue reading, please subscribe: Digital Subscription One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week * Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper Access News Break, our award-winning app Play interactive puzzles *Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time. To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional $1 for the first 4 weeks* Enjoy unlimited reading on…

Online portal used to send US deliveries to Cuba stops taking orders By: Gisela Salomon, The Associated Press Posted: 4:04 PM CDT Monday, Jun. 15, 2026 Advertisement Advertise with us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later MIAMI (AP) — One of the main online platforms that Cubans living in the United States use to send money, food, and clothing to their relatives on the island is ceasing operations as the Trump administration increases pressure on the Cuban government. Read this article for free: or Already have an account? Log in here » To continue reading, please subscribe: Digital Subscription One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week * Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper Access News Break, our award-winning app Play interactive puzzles *Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time. To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional $1 for the first 4 weeks* Enjoy unlimited reading on…

Cuba legalises first private companies without relaxing political oppression ARTICLE 30 | 11 | 2021 TextoMaria Victoria Andarcia Street vending in a Cuban town [GregMontani]. The year 2021 has been the year in which Cuba's economic reforms have taken off, forced by the island's difficult situation status , which has been aggravated by the pandemic. Although timid, the reforms have opened up a space for private business with employees, beyond the individual 'cuentapropismo' (self-employment) allowed until now, although the economic levers are still tightly controlled by the communist state. Moreover, the effectiveness of the new measures to improve the country's status is called into question by the tight control that the government exercises over society. In the midst of the economic crisis, Cuba is accumulating economic reforms aimed at boosting a nascent private initiative as a way to overcome the new special period in which the island finds itself. The lack of tourism, the high public expense due to the health emergency resulting from the pandemic and the US sanctions make for a complicated situation that has finally pushed Miguel Díaz-Canel's government to undertake refor…

Cuba is going dark under US pressure. How the crisis unfolded and why ... Video Ad Feedback Havana residents left in darkness after Cuba grid collapse 1:00 • Source: CNN Havana residents left in darkness after Cuba grid collapse 1:00 The Caribbean See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Almost three months after the US effectively imposed an oil blockade on Cuba that worsened its energy crunch, nearly every aspect of Cuban society has been feeling the strain. Trash has been piling up on the streets of the capital, hospital stays and surgeries are being limited, people are using wood fires to heat water, and blackouts have become commonplace. President Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed the crisis in a nationally televised press conference on Friday, during which he insisted that authorities were seeking solutions but acknowledged that the task wouldn’t be simple. Here’s how Cuba reached this point and where it could go from here. Increasing US pressure Since the 1960s, the US has maintained an economic embargo on Cuba that has cost the island “trillions of dollars” and impacted its “overall human development,” according to a United Nations report. Despite cal…

Cuba and Russia Tightening Relations - Harvard International Review As Cuba’s economy continues to lag, the small island’s government is hoping a deal hammered out with Russian leaders will boost its economy and better relations with a global power. Sugar production has long led Cuba’s manufacturing but has recently collapsed to extreme lows . The country is hoping to rebuild its sugar industry as well as other industries , such as construction, oil, rum, and tourism, with the help of Russia . Sharing Resources In mid-May, Cuban and Russian leaders released a new plan meant to aid the faltering economies of each country. Cuba is promising Russia preferential treatment in accessing Cuban property, markets, and labor, rarely given out to foreign actors within the borders of the island. In a move almost unheard of for Cuba, the government promised Russia an exemption from its import taxes. It also has allowed Russian companies to use Cuban land for at least 30 years, which comes as Cuban citizens only have recently been given limited property rights. These companies will have access to more land than Cuban private citizens and companies have had since 1959. They will have more favora…

Cuba News Today 09/07/2026: What Is Happening in Cuba Today? Stay ahead with the latest headlines, breaking news, and in-depth analysis from across Cuba. From the current energy crisis and diplomatic shifts to local stories that matter—we bring the island’s pulse directly to your feed about Cuba News Today , Cuba News Now. Updated: Cuba is in the middle of its worst crisis since the post-Soviet “Special Period.” A U.S. oil blockade imposed in January 2026, sweeping new sanctions under Executive Order 14404, and the loss of Visa and Mastercard processing on 6 June have left the island with blackouts exceeding 20 hours a day, collapsing tourism revenue, and a humanitarian emergency the United Nations says is costing children’s lives. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Guantánamo Bay this week and warned Havana against acquiring weapons capable of striking the U.S., fueling speculation about possible military escalation. Table of Contents Toggle Cuba News Today – Cuba News Now Your daily window into Cuba. Covering everything from the ongoing energy situation and international relations to tourism and economic changes. Don’t miss a beat—stay informed with Cuba’s most reliable…

The blow to tourism puts Cuba's economy on the brink of collapse Eyanir Chinea Mexico - Feb 11, 2026 - 10:35 CET Share on Whatsapp Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Desplegar Redes Sociales Prefer EL PAÍS on Google Compartir: Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Bluesky Linkedin Copy link U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure tactics against Cuba are beginning to rain down on an already struggling economy. By signing an executive order in January imposing tariffs on any country that supplies oil or fuel to the island , the president started a countdown to disaster for Cubans, who were already experiencing a steady decline in their standard of living. For the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel, the political heir of Fidel and Raúl Castro , the situation is the result of an “economic war,” marked by the trade and financial embargo imposed by Washington since 1962 and exacerbated by decades of disagreements. For his detractors, however, it is the direct consequence of the iron grip of the state, which exerts control over up to 90% of the means of production, stifling the country’s economic development. The continuous blackouts due to the energy crisis were expected to reach one of the most criti…

Cuba pushes through sweeping free-market reforms in biggest economic shift since the revolution By: Andrea Rodríguez, The Associated Press Posted: 5:56 PM CDT Friday, Jun. 19, 2026 Advertisement Advertise with us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later HAVANA (AP) — Observers on Friday called Cuba’s new free-market reforms the most sweeping economic overhaul of the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution, as the grandson of former President Raúl Castro said in an interview that Cuba must seek to move its economy forward. Read this article for free: or Already have an account? Log in here » To continue reading, please subscribe: Digital Subscription One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week * Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper Access News Break, our award-winning app Play interactive puzzles *Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time. To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only …

Cuba opens up to public‑private enterprises for the first time in ... Carla Gloria Colomé Miami - Mar 05, 2026 - 15:22 CET Share on Whatsapp Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Desplegar Redes Sociales Prefer EL PAÍS on Google Compartir: Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Bluesky Linkedin Copy link The Cuban government, after decades of treating the private sector as an internal adversary, appears to be easing its stance for the first time in nearly 70 years. Facing a deep economic crisis , Cuba’s Official Gazette has published a new decree‑law allowing the creation of public‑private enterprises. These partnerships between state and non‑state actors would have the authority to decide what goods and services to offer, and to set prices and wages. The announcement came just one day after President Miguel Díaz‑Canel urgently called for transforming the country’s economic model as the island grapples with U.S. sanctions. “We must focus, immediately, on implementing the urgent, most necessary transformations that must be made to the economic and social model,” Díaz-Canel said Monday during a meeting of the Council of Ministers. The comments come after several weeks in which the Trump administrat…

Feature: Mercabal, Cuba's first wholesale market | English.news.cn HAVANA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Along one of Havana's busiest avenues, a renovated warehouse now houses a place that has long been a dream for the Cuban non-state sector. The first wholesale market on the island, known as Mercabal, is currently providing large-scale food deliveries to non-agricultural cooperatives (CNA) in the city but soon plans to expand services for private workers in the country. In 2016, the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) created a working group to evaluate the feasibility of such markets. After more than two years of studies Mercabal was inaugurated last March. "The goal of the wholesale market is to concentrate all the products in a single place which helps the CNA's to acquire them with payment facilities, substantial discounts and delivery of the goods," Uber Crespo, a top MINCIN official, told Xinhua. According to Crespo, the ministry decided to open this first market in the Cuban capital, because it's where the largest amount of cooperatives related to gastronomic services exist in the island for a total of 59. "In the market all products the cooperatives had previously requested in …

Cuba will allow nationals living abroad to invest in and ... - NBC News Add NBC News to Google Extended interview: Cuba's Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga says the country ‘is open for business’ 09:56 Get more news Live on Share Add NBC News to Google March 16, 2026, 7:20 AM EDT / Updated March 16, 2026, 9:43 PM EDT By George Solis and Alexander Smith HAVANA — Cuban nationals living abroad in places such as Miami will be allowed to invest in the private sector and own businesses in their homeland, the country's economic czar has told NBC News in an exclusive interview. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, Cuba's deputy prime minister, said that a "blockade" by the United States is hampering these efforts as the island grapples with an energy crisis , rare violent protests and public pressure from the Trump administration. “Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with U.S. companies" and "also with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants," Fraga said in a sit-down in Havana, ahead of announcing the news to his country Monday night. The interview, his first, comes as Fra…

BBC reveals the businesses that interested Trump in Havana before he ... BBC reveals the business interests Trump had in Havana before becoming president Trump secretly explored business opportunities in Cuba since 1998: a hotel, golf courses, and casinos. He registered his brand on the island in 2008, despite the embargo. Latest News By CiberCuba Editorial Team Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 1:36 PM Donald Trump Photo © Facebook The White House Share on: Long before asserting power to "do as he pleases" with Cuba, Donald Trump secretly explored business opportunities on the island: a hotel bearing his name, golf courses, and casinos were among his plans, according to documents and statements analyzed by BBC Mundo . The first documented approach dates back to 1998 , when his company Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts paid at least 68,000 dollars to the consulting firm Seven Arrows Investment & Development Corp. to send emissaries to Havana in search of opportunities in hospitality and casinos. According to a study by Newsweek published in 2016, that money was attempted to be disguised as a donation to a Catholic charity called "Carinas Cuba" to give it a legal appearance under the U.S. emba…

Online portal used to send US deliveries to Cuba stops taking orders By: Gisela Salomon, The Associated Press Posted: 4:04 PM CDT Monday, Jun. 15, 2026 Advertisement Advertise with us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later MIAMI (AP) — One of the main online platforms that Cubans living in the United States use to send money, food, and clothing to their relatives on the island is ceasing operations as the Trump administration increases pressure on the Cuban government. Read this article for free: or Already have an account? Log in here » To continue reading, please subscribe: Digital Subscription One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week * Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper Access News Break, our award-winning app Play interactive puzzles *Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time. To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional $1 for the first 4 weeks* Enjoy unlimited reading on…