Cuba Post-Maduro Crisis 2026: The Collapse of the Venezuelan Oil Lifeline

The lifeline has been severed. As the regime of Nicolás Maduro collapses in Venezuela, Cuba faces its darkest hour since the Cold War. Just 12 hours after Maduro was forcibly removed by US Delta Force, the streets of Havana are gripped by a mix of defiance and dread.

Cuba Post-Maduro Crisis 2026: The End of an Era

The deaths of 32 Cuban nationals during the operation revealed the depth of Havana’s influence in Caracas. Since 1999, the two nations shared a symbiotic relationship where 35,000 barrels of daily oil flowed to the island in exchange for medical and intelligence personnel. This partnership was the cornerstone of the Cuban economy.

With the oil tap effectively turned off, Cuba is spiraling into a systemic failure. Months of rolling blackouts have left food rotting in fridges and hospitals struggling to cope with outbreaks of dengue fever. President Miguel Díaz-Canel has declared national mourning, but the economic reality remains bleak.

The 'Donroe Doctrine' and Regional Repercussions

President Trump’s introduction of the 'Donroe Doctrine' signals a return to aggressive interventionism in what Washington considers its 'backyard.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leveraging the transition in Venezuela to finally dismantle the 60-year communist project in his ancestral homeland.