"I have two bits of news for you: one good and one bad. Those were the first words Elena Garcia, a 28-year-old web designer, heard when she woke up on the morning of January 3, hours after a United States military operation abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The good news is that the water has arrived, her boyfriend continued. The bad news is that they kidnapped Maduro, and that means that this year we will surely have blackouts."
"Supply shortages are endemic throughout much of Cuba. In Villa Panamericana, the neighbourhood in Havana where Garcia lives, deliveries of fresh water had not arrived for a week. Still, compared to the rest of the city, the neighbourhood is relatively privileged: It suffers from fewer power outages than other areas. But until this month, Cuba has been able to rely on Venezuela for support, including through shipments of the fuel needed to run its electrical grid."
"By January 11, US President Donald Trump announced Venezuela would no longer supply Cuba with oil or money. The threat of ending Venezuela's support is expected to further devastate the Cuban economy and possibly trigger unrest. So far, since the US attack on Venezuela, the streets of Havana have been calm, and the Cuban government has pledged to maintain ties with Venezuela."
Cuba relies heavily on Venezuelan support, including fuel shipments that power the electrical grid. Supply shortages and power outages are already widespread across Havana neighborhoods. The ouster of Venezuela's president and subsequent US announcements to cut Venezuelan oil and money to Cuba endanger those critical supplies. The reduction in Venezuelan support is expected to deepen Cuba's economic crisis and increase the risk of unrest. Streets in Havana have remained calm so far, and the Cuban government says it will maintain ties with Venezuela. Social media debates reflect public fears about shortages and possible further escalation.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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