Amílcar Pérez-Riverol, a Cuban scientist and communicator, recently shared an opinion piece on Facebook that has garnered significant attention on social media. In his post, he partially blames U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for worsening the humanitarian crisis in Cuba, seven months after the U.S. government imposed an energy blockade on the island.
Pérez-Riverol, a microbiologist living abroad, starts with a straightforward premise: the Cuban dictatorship is primarily responsible for the nation's collapse. However, he argues that Washington's maximum pressure strategy has exacerbated the suffering of the Cuban people without achieving any tangible progress toward freedom.
"If Cuba is in darkness, lacking medicine, food, healthcare, and freedoms, it is due to decades of dictatorship and disastrous policies. But if the darkness is deeper, the food scarcer, medicines like unicorns, the unsanitariness more extreme, and freedom less credible, that is also, factually, on Marco. On Trump," he wrote.
The Energy Blockade and Its Aftermath
The scientist recalled that earlier this year, Trump initiated a comprehensive energy blockade against the Cuban government "with Cubans inside," while many on the island believed the end of the dictatorship was near. Yet, seven months later, "the day that was supposedly arriving seems even further away."
Controversial U.S.-Venezuela Oil Deal
The trigger for his post was the recent oil agreement between the U.S. and Venezuela, where Rubio directly negotiated with Delcy Rodríguez, the acting Venezuelan president, granting the U.S. access to approximately 65,000 million barrels of proven reserves over 25 years.
For Pérez-Riverol, the contradiction is glaring: the same official enforcing an energy blockade on Cuba for ideological reasons has now made a deal with the Chavista government. "Look at the 'highly respected' Delcy Rodríguez, more of a president than ever after signing a petroleum agreement loyally endorsed by the unyielding anti-Chavista and anti-communist Rubio," he remarked.
Promises Unfulfilled
The author draws a direct comparison between the promises made to Venezuela and those made to Cuba. "Venezuela was promised the gift of freedom and democracy. So far, the only gift has been to the United States in the form of 65,000 million barrels of oil," he wrote.
He emphasizes: "The same promises have been made to Cuba. So far, the only tangible outcome is a poorer, more miserable, more unhealthy, and ruined country. And nothing more."
By 2026, Washington has sanctioned over 40 Cuban entities, including the state-owned oil company CUPET and several companies linked to GAESA. In May, Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy admitted that Cuba was "without fuel" amid a crisis that has caused seven total national electrical system collapses this year and nighttime deficits exceeding 2,000 MW.
Rubio has publicly urged "patience and perseverance," assuring in August that Cuba will be on an "irreversible path" before the end of Trump's term.
Pérez-Riverol forcefully rejects this argument: "Trump, through Rubio's words or on his own, asks for patience. Hunger has no patience, disease has no patience, garbage has no patience."
A Call for Accountability
The microbiologist concludes his post with a direct criticism of the Trump administration: "If you impose an energy blockade on a country promising freedom, knowing that the people will bear the brunt of more suffering, and after seven months, freedom no longer even has a timeline, you must take responsibility. The blame is also yours."
Comments on the post reflect widespread disillusionment. "We've been in this story for 67 years, and nothing has been resolved because the last thing that matters to both sides is the people. 67 years of broken promises and money squandered on politics. It's time to take control and not wait for anyone," said a resident of Artemisa.
Another Cuban echoed this sentiment, asserting: "If the dictatorship has persisted in Cuba for so many years, it's because of U.S. convenience. If we Cubans don't act for ourselves, it will be 60 thousand more millennia. It's time to hit the streets and not look back; nothing in this world is free."
A young emigrant was more succinct: "Don't expect anything from any government, build your life with your effort."
Understanding the Cuban Crisis and U.S. Policies
What role has the U.S. played in Cuba's current crisis?
The U.S. has implemented a strict energy blockade on Cuba, which has intensified the humanitarian crisis on the island without making significant progress towards political freedom.
How does the U.S.-Venezuela oil agreement affect the situation?
The agreement contrasts with U.S. policies towards Cuba, as it involves negotiations with the Venezuelan government, perceived as ideologically similar to Cuba, raising questions about the consistency of U.S. foreign policy.
What is the Cuban public's reaction to the ongoing crisis?
Many Cubans express frustration and disappointment, feeling that political promises have not been fulfilled, and urge self-reliance and grassroots action as the solution to their problems.