An online conversation between a young Miami resident and his mother in Cuba has reignited discussions about the actual impact of the measures declared by U.S. President Donald Trump and the political exploitation of these issues within Cuba.
In this exchange, the youth, known as Yero Vento, recounts how his mother expresses concern over purported restrictions linked to Trump via WhatsApp—such as "no country" being able to supply oil to Cuba or the impossibility of sending remittances. He replies with a question that has become the focal point of the video: "Mom, when did you ever have all those things Trump wants to take away?"
Throughout the audio, Vento emphasizes his mother’s worry about Cuba being left "without oil, electricity, or transportation," and he questions who would truly be affected by harsher sanctions.
The Real Impact of Sanctions
According to Vento, these restrictions would primarily affect "the elite" and those who benefit from supply networks and businesses, not the average citizen who, he asserts, already lives in deprivation.
The conversation also highlights personal fears: the mother mentions, "if I die, don't come," fearing he might not be allowed to travel. Vento reassures her, saying "that’s not new," suggesting travel restrictions aren't solely a result of Trump’s policies.
A Daily Struggle for Survival
Yero Vento paints a grim picture of scarcity in his neighborhood: many homes endure long periods "in the dark," people resort to cooking with charcoal or wood, and "most" receive no remittances or foreign goods. He underscores that announcements from Washington wouldn’t significantly alter the daily life of the average Cuban, accusing the Cuban government of always blaming the "blockade" and never accepting responsibility.
He further suggests that the government uses the people as a "shield" against sanctions, while also mentioning international organizations and the UN in a political confrontation narrative ("they will try to lift the sanctions...").
Back to the Special Period
This Thursday, Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed what millions of Cubans already endure daily: the nation has regressed to the harsh years of the Special Period.
During his lengthy address, the leader acknowledged that since December 2025, no oil has arrived on the island from Venezuela, and the dictatorship faces a deep energy crisis without immediate solutions or external allies.
Díaz-Canel explained that the situation "cannot be resolved overnight," and that the Council of Ministers has approved a set of directives to tackle the severe fuel shortages.
The plan, inspired by measures from the 1990s Special Period, revisits the so-called "zero option" designed by Fidel Castro, now updated for the current context.
According to him, these strategies involve prioritizing state consumption, reducing energy expenditure, and redistributing available fuel.
The conversation has gone viral, highlighting a gap between political narratives about the effects of external sanctions and the daily scarcity experienced by many Cubans. This disparity is encapsulated in the question that drives the debate: "When did you ever have that?"
Understanding the Cuban Crisis
What is the significance of the conversation between Yero Vento and his mother?
The conversation spotlights the disconnect between the political rhetoric surrounding U.S. sanctions and the everyday hardships faced by ordinary Cubans, questioning the real impact of these policies.
How does Miguel Díaz-Canel describe the current situation in Cuba?
Díaz-Canel describes it as a return to the Special Period, marked by severe energy shortages and a lack of external support, necessitating measures reminiscent of those implemented in the 1990s.
What are the proposed solutions to Cuba's fuel crisis?
The government plans to prioritize state energy use, cut down on energy consumption, and redistribute the available fuel, based on strategies from the Special Period.