Cuban exiles in Miami say 'this is the end' for communism as island teeters on collapse
There’s growing unrest in Cuba as the communist government struggles to deal with island-wide blackouts and a collapsing economy. As President Donald Trump alludes to change on the island, the Cuban community in Miami is left wondering what is next.
The island has experienced 67 years of authoritarian rule where the Communist Party of Cuba is the only legal party. Last week, protesters attacked a Communist Party headquarters on the island overnight, ransacking the building and attempting to set it on fire, according to local reports.
"The protesters are more brave today than before," said Jose Collazo, a Cuban migrant who left the island in the 1960's. "But if you remember four years ago when they came out, they were brutally repressed."
Collazo often spends time at Domino Park in the heart of Little Havana, a neighborhood in Miami with a large population of Cuban immigrants. He and other Cuban Americans meet up for friendly — but highly competitive — games of dominoes and to discuss current affairs.
Lately, there's been a lot of chatter about the situation in Cuba. On Monday, a nationwide power grid collapse left roughly 10 million people without electricity, according to U.S. Embassy statements and Cuban authorities. Cuban officials have said the outages are linked to fuel shortages and failures at aging power plants.
Then, there's the ongoing economic crisis which has been made even worse in recent months after President Trump threatened tariffs on any country that sends oil to Cuba.
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"They're living like in the Stone Age. Cave people. That's how they live. It's sad to see the people [living with] malnutrition, living in ragged clothes," said Collazo.
The escalating tension on the island comes amid remarks by Trump that he expects to have the "honor" of "taking Cuba in some form" and "I can do anything I want" with the neighboring country.
"Cuba right now is in very bad shape. They're talking to Marco," Trump told reporters, "We’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon.… We’re dealing with Cuba."
On Tuesday, Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, also made comments about the island, saying "they have to get new people in charge" in Havana.
Meanwhile, Pentagon officials told lawmakers there are no plans to invade Cuba, even as they described it as a long-standing security concern.
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"In all the years I've been here— I'm going on 47 years— I think this is the first time I've seen really good things happening for Cuba," said Francisco Botella, a Cuban migrant who lives in Miami. "You can tell it's a very precarious situation this time around. Now the system is going down, way down."
Hearing U.S. leaders discuss the situation brings members of the Cuban exile community like Botella and Collazo hope.
"I think this is the end for Cuba. I really think it's over. Either the communist leaders leave, or what happened to Maduro will happen to them," said Botella.
Cuban officials have continued to blame U.S. sanctions for the country’s economic hardships, while analysts say the government is facing mounting pressure from ongoing blackouts, shortages of basic goods, and growing public frustration.