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‘A year of resistance’: Cuba’s private sector faces Trump’s oil blockade

Al Jazeera · · 1400 words · By Dariel Pradas
US Sanctions Impact Cuban Economic Reform Private Sector Resilience
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/5/9/a-year-of-resistance-cubas-private-se…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Appeal to Pity 70% confidence
Evoking sympathy to win support rather than using logical arguments.
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Exaggeration / Hyperbole 60% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

20 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 10
info Single Source 4
check_circle Corroborated 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
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“Since the United States, under President Donald Trump, imposed an oil blockade on Cuba in late January, power outages and fuel shortages have dealt a staggering blow to small family businesses”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia explicitly mentions the '2026 Cuban crisis' caused by an American fuel blockade, and Al Jazeera reports on the oil blockade imposed by Washington under Donald Trump.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — An oil shortage and economic crisis is taking place in Cuba, caused by an American fuel blockade. The island is dependent on imported oil, mostly from Venezuela and Mexico; after the 2026 United State…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Cuban_crisis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On July 13, 2024, Donald Trump, then a former president of the United States and the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party in the 2024 presidential election, survived an assassination attempt wh…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_assassination_of_Don…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“Petrol prices have surged from about $1 a litre ($3.80 a gallon) earlier this year to $10 on the black market.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Web search results provide general global petrol prices or prices in other countries (Nigeria, India), but no specific evidence confirms the $1 to $10 black market price jump in Cuba.
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web search NEUTRAL — Gasoline prices, liter, 27-Apr-2026.As a result, the retail price of gasoline is different. Read our fuel price primer to understand fuel price differences across countries and over time. Use the drop…
https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/gasoline_prices/
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web search NEUTRAL — Petrol and diesel rates were hiked in metros on Friday, with diesel remaining costlier than petrol in Delhi for a third straight day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSUXh9SbM48
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web search NEUTRAL — Petrol prices at NNPCL outlets across the country were increased from approximately N568 to more than N855. Rivers, Ekiti sell highest prices. Reports indicate that in regions like Rivers, Kebbi, and …
https://www.legit.ng/business-economy/energy/1612760-more-pr…
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“The spike followed the Cuban government’s decision to cancel diesel sales in February and strictly ration petrol”
CORROBORATED
Both The Independent and NationalTurk report that the Cuban government rationed fuel sales and that there were shortages of gasoline and diesel.
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web search NEUTRAL — The cancellations come following days of long lines to get gasoline at filling stations. Experts say the lack of gasoline and diesel is not due to a lack of crude oil — Cuba produces about half of wha…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/cuba-ap-havana-pemex-vene…
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web search NEUTRAL — Quora is a place to gain and share knowledge. It's a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers. This empowers people to learn from each other…
https://www.quora.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Gasoline and diesel are available at a few gas stations in the Cuban capital and with regulated sales. 207 2 read. The shortage of fuel has forced the sale of the product to be regulated at gas statio…
https://www.nationalturk.com/en/fuel-shortage-in-cuba-ration…
info
“the price of an electric tricycle has jumped by 50 percent.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results for this claim are generic definitions of 'price' or unrelated to electric tricycles in Cuba.
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web search NEUTRAL — The competitive price system according to Paul Samuelson A price display for a tagged clothes item at Kohl's A price is the (usually not negative) quantity of payment or compensation expected, require…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price
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web search NEUTRAL — Price offers architectural sulfuric acid anodizing in both Class I and Class II as well as decorative coatings. Price Electronics is a trusted manufacturing partner for PCBA OEM companies. Located in …
https://priceindustries.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — County average gas prices are updated daily to reflect changes in price. For metro averages, click here.
https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA
info
“Before the crisis, trucking a container to Havana from the port cost between $100 and $150. Nowadays, it costs no less than $600.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Search results discuss shipping logistics and container tracking in general but do not provide specific pricing data for trucking containers to Havana.
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web search NEUTRAL — Port congestion at Havana or Santiago de Cuba, especially during hurricane season or high-traffic months. Customs clearance delays—often due to incomplete or untranslated paperwork, or goods flagged f…
https://www.sino-shipping.com/freight-china-cuba/
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web search NEUTRAL — Interport IRISL ITALIA MARITTIMA Kambara Kisen KiwiRail K-LINE Korea Marine Transport Kuehne + Nagel Leschaco Libra Linea Messina MacAndrews Macnels MACS MAERSK MAG shipping Maldives Ports Marfret Mar…
http://container-tracking.org/
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web search NEUTRAL — Container Tracking system allows you to determine current position of containers on the World Map. The application calculates storage time in ports of transhipment. To find a container on the Map just…
https://www.searates.com/container/tracking/
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“In the past three months, the Cuban government has created new regulations to offer more opportunities to the private sector”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including Reuters and Bayne Legal, report on sweeping economic reforms in March 2026 allowing for more private sector and diaspora investment.
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web search NEUTRAL — Situated at the convergence of the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean, Cuba is located east of the Yucatán Peninsula, south of both Florida and the Bahamas, west of Hispaniola, and nort…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba
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web search NEUTRAL — 12 hours ago · Fidel Castro was the leader of the Cuban Revolution, which overthrew President Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and brought a socialist government to power.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Cuba
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web search NEUTRAL — 2 days ago · Reuters.com is your online source for the latest Cuba news stories and current events, ensuring our readers up to date with any breaking news developments
https://www.reuters.com/world/cuba/
info
“It allowed, for example, greater tax exemptions for the import of solar panels by any type of business.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The source 'elTOQUE' mentions that importing solar water heaters/panels in USD is now allowed, but other sources do not specifically confirm the 'tax exemption' aspect for all business types.
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web search NEUTRAL — With just 20,000 solar water heaters and a million kWh every day of energy installed in its photovoltaic parks, Cuba is basically wasting the vast majority of the solar energy it has available. This a…
https://eltoque.com/en/importing-solar-panels-in-usd-now-all…
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web search NEUTRAL — Solar panel imports in Pakistan surge as rising energy costs drive demand for affordable, renewable power. · PPIB Solar Licensing. How to Import Solar Panels in Pakistan in 2025. Learn the process and…
https://tencoconsulting.com/solar-panels-imports-requirement…
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web search NEUTRAL — Part 1: Chinese Solar Panel Market: Why Import Solar Panels from China? When considering the procurement of solar panels on a global scale, China emerges as a leading contender due to several compelli…
https://www.solarctrl.com/blog/import-solar-panels-from-chin…
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“It also announced that all Cubans residing abroad will be able to open small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the island.”
CORROBORATED
Reuters and Bayne Legal both confirm that the Cuban government announced reforms in March 2026 allowing Cubans living abroad to own and invest in businesses (SMEs).
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web search NEUTRAL — The Cuban government announced that Cubans living abroad can own and invest in businesses, but experts said they were disappointed that the measures didn't go further.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/world/americas/cuba-ameri…
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web search NEUTRAL — Cuba Opens Doors to Diaspora Investment: March 2026 Reforms Explained On March 16, 2026, the Cuban government announced sweeping economic reforms that, for the first time, allow Cuban nationals living…
https://www.baynelaw.com/blog/2026/03/cuba-2026-economic-ref…
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web search NEUTRAL — She continued: "Cuba needs a framework that guarantees equity, transparency, and coherent public policies, allowing all economic actors to grow and develop." Commercial activities in Havana, March 14.…
https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-03-16/cuba-ope…
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“Until now, that right has been reserved only for those who live in Cuba or who hold “effective migratory residency”, a requirement that demands having accumulated more than 180 days of stay in Cuba.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the specific previous residency requirements (180 days) for opening SMEs.
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“it relaxed the rules on the marketing of agricultural products... now, the private sector is allowed to invest in the distribution chains.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the relaxation of rules for private sector investment in agricultural distribution chains.
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“in March with a new law authorising mixed limited liability companies, allowing private capital to merge with state companies for the first time.”
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“Health, education, and the military remain off limits, however.”
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“its private sector began to develop in the 2010s. It gained real momentum in 2021, when the government permitted the creation of smaller-scale businesses, or SMEs”
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“Today, there are about 10,000 active SMEs”
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“Cuban economist Ricardo Torres Perez, in a September report based on official data, said the private sector contributed 15 percent of GDP, 31.2 percent of national employment, 55 percent of retail sales, and 23 percent of state tax revenues.”
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“On February 6, the Cuban government authorised private companies to import fuel, previously reserved only for the state.”
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“Weeks later, the US Bureau of Industry and Security followed suit, authorising exports of US oil and gas products to eligible Cuban private sector entities.”
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“Between February and March, the island’s private sector imported roughly 30,000 barrels of fuel (about 4.8 million litres or 1.3 million gallons) from the US, according to the Reuters news agency.”
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“According to Jorge Piñon... Cuba requires about 100,000 barrels a day – and only produces 40 percent”
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“importing a single tank of about 25,000 litres (6,600 gallons) costs between $45,000 and $50,000, plus 13 percent in commissions to the state importer and Union Cuba-Petroleo”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.