Cuba

Cuba is currently under significant pressure from the United States, which has imposed new sanctions targeting the nation's state-owned oil company, Union Cuba-Petroleo, citing "unlawfully expropriated" US resources. This escalation, described by some as an "oil blockade," has exacerbated an energy crisis on the island, leading to power outages and impacting child mortality rates, according to UN warnings. US military officials have also warned Cuba against acquiring arms that could threaten the US. Concurrently, Cuba is deepening party ties with China, while also experiencing a surge in asylum applications from its citizens. Adding to the island's challenges, a powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake recently struck off its coast, shaking parts of Mexico and Florida. Cuba's former ambassador suggests the US may be using sanctions as a pretext for potential military action, though some believe the World Cup might offer a temporary respite from such threats.