Is the revolution in Cuba over?
The Documentary Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 22 March 2026
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Cuba is facing one of its most severe humanitarian crises in decades.
For years, Cuba relied heavily on oil from Venezuela. Those supplies have largely stopped, contributing to widespread fuel shortages. Electricity blackouts have become increasingly common, disrupting daily life across the country.
The United States has blocked fuel shipments to Cuba as part of wider pressure linked to its economic and political policies. Meanwhile, the Cuban government has warned it will resist any external interference in its domestic affairs.
With economic strain growing and living conditions worsening, this week on The Inquiry, we’re asking: ‘Is the revolution in Cuba over?’
Contributors
Lillian Guerra, professor of Cuban and Caribbean history at the University of Florida, US
Ricardo Torres, research fellow at American University, US
Christopher Sabatini, senior research fellow for Latin America at Chatham House, UK
Renata Segura, programme director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Crisis Group, US
The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world, for more episodes, just search 'The Inquiry' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.
Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.7 | Hello, I'm Tanya Beckett. Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service. I host |
| 0:11.8 | The Inquiry, where each week we ask one big question and get answers from four of the |
| 0:17.4 | world's leading experts on that topic. You can find us wherever you get your BBC |
| 0:22.9 | podcasts. In this bonus episode, we turned to Cuba, where mounting pressure from the United |
| 0:29.0 | States is deepening an already severe energy crisis. And we ask, is the revolution over? |
| 0:37.4 | Before we begin, is the revolution over? |
| 0:44.0 | Before we begin, I just wanted to let you know that this episode was recorded on the 19th of March. |
| 0:52.0 | Cuba is facing one of its most severe humanitarian crises in decades. |
| 0:57.0 | The island lies less than 200 kilometres off the coast of the US state of Florida and has for decades attempted to distance itself from its far more powerful neighbour to the north. |
| 1:04.9 | But now it finds itself caught in its grip. For a quarter of a century, Cuba has relied on oil from Venezuela. The United States is |
| 1:14.4 | now enforcing a de facto naval blockade on fuel shipments to Cuba, preventing tankers from |
| 1:20.1 | reaching the island and deepening its energy crisis. Cuba has faced worsening fuel shortages, |
| 1:26.1 | with electricity blackouts becoming increasingly common |
| 1:29.4 | across the island and disrupting everyday life for many Cubans. In the past four weeks, the U.S. |
| 1:36.2 | Israel War with Iran has occupied much of President Donald Trump's foreign policy agenda, |
| 1:42.9 | but he has suggested his focus may soon turn to Cuba. |
| 1:47.4 | I do believe I'll be the honor of having the honor of taking Cuba. |
| 1:53.7 | I mean, whether I free it, take it, I think I can do anything I want with it. |
| 1:59.8 | You want to know the truth. They're a very |
| 2:01.5 | weakened nation. Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel says his government has opened channels with |
| 2:08.5 | Washington to ease the crisis through negotiation. But he's warned that any attempt to seize the country |
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