Kingston, Jamaica — 14 January 2026
The intensifying pressure on Cuba from the United States is being closely watched across the Caribbean, not because regime change is imminent, but because the moment exposes how power, sovereignty, and economic vulnerability intersect in small island states. For Jamaica, the issue is not whether it is “next,” but how a country with deep democratic roots, a mixed economy, and an open property market should read the regional signals and quietly position itself for long-term stability.
Cuba’s predicament, beyond the rhetoric
Cuba’s national motto, Patria o Muerte — homeland or death — is not simply ideological theatre. It reflects a political culture forged under six decades of sanctions, isolation, and perceived external threat. The current squeeze is real. The collapse of Venezuelan oil support, combined with stepped-up U.S. enforcement actions and sharp rhetoric from Donald Trump, has left Havana facing fuel shortages, power instability, and deepening …
