3/24/2026 at 3:32:14 AM
by thelastgallon
3/24/2026 at 8:57:54 AM
It would be interesting to read an actual deep technical dive on this.Was cuba previously generating electricity with imported oil? How were they paying for that? A gift from Venezuela? It seems possible that the solar is actually batter and cheaper than what they were paying for before but needs up-front financing, which is a general issue with solar in developing nations.
by ZeroGravitas
3/24/2026 at 6:17:33 AM
I forgot where I saw this claim, but it said that China has actually encouraged Cuba to carry out a similar kind of economic transition, yet it was rejected, so the only things China has been able to do are to provide aid in areas such as food and electricity.Socialism is not necessarily unworkable; rather, in a world full of forces trying to destroy you — for example, under decades-long economic blockade by the United States — it is impossible for Cubans to live a normal life. The results brought by socialism may not be better than capitalism under such conditions. Of course, turning toward the United States could be even worse, meaning that a large amount of Cuba’s wealth would be transferred to and controlled by the U.S., and a pro-American regime would be established. It would be similar to how nobody cares about the Philippines, one of the poorest countries with the highest proportion of prostitution in the world, which has a U.S.-style political system, and nobody cares about the lives of the many “free” people living in slums.
Solar energy is something remarkable. It not only provides the basic necessities of life, but also gives countries and their people greater autonomy. I hope Cuba can hold on until the day it can develop its economy normally, and until the day the United States declines.
by yanhangyhy
3/24/2026 at 10:59:49 AM
Why not compare it to the DR? Neighbor right next door with similar demographics to Cuba but closer economic and political system to that of the US.Not doubt the embargo has done some damage to the wellbeing of the island, but the self imposed economic system makes things far worse.
by miguelxt
3/24/2026 at 9:51:54 AM
>decades-long economic blockade by the United Statesmyth, an incredible myth, the US has a package of sanctions and an embargo, Cuba is free to trade with other nations. The reason of the economic powerty and Cubans not being able to live a normal life is mostly self-inflicted (by their government, not the people) from an extractive elite who kept the old colonial system but just changed hands and drapings, with who is on top, plus the disastrous results of marxsist-leninist economic policies who are blind to reality
by u_sama
3/24/2026 at 10:04:41 AM
Not a myth, and as for> Cuba is free to trade with other nations.
The embargo was reinforced in October 1992 by the Cuban Democracy Act and in 1996 by the Cuban Liberty and Democracy Solidarity Act (known as the Helms–Burton Act) which penalizes foreign companies that do business in Cuba by preventing them from doing business in the U.S.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms%E2%80%93Burton_Act
I'm not seeing when the Helms–Burton Act was set aside.
by defrost
3/24/2026 at 10:05:51 AM
When Chinese leaders met with Che Guevara and others, they were not very optimistic about their revolution either; they lacked a deeper understanding of socialism and respect for realism. This may also be related to the character traits of Latin Americans, which differ from the practices in Laos, Vietnam, and China.There are no detailed data showing exactly how much negative impact the U.S. blockade and sanctions have had on Cuba’s economy. After all, the U.S. has long-arm jurisdiction capabilities in almost every domain, and it is very easy to use private channels to influence other countries and economic entities in their dealings with Cuba(Considering the United States’ notorious human rights record and its multiple assassination attempts against former Cuban presidents). for a small country, in the current U.S.-dominated, power-based international system, facing such unilateral hostility and sanctions undoubtedly adds many extra difficulties to their development.
Whether their development is good or bad, they do not deserve such suffering. The United Nations has held multiple votes on Cuba’s situation, and almost always the United States and Israel oppose lifting the sanctions. The world stands with Cuba, but unfortunately, some people do not.
by yanhangyhy
3/24/2026 at 11:22:22 AM
[delayed]by rayiner
3/24/2026 at 5:37:40 AM
It's China, Cuba needs $8-10 billion USD, money that China isn't that eager to put into Cuba, but Trump's constant warmongering against Cuba has given China the opportunity to put a bunch of spy stations on the island.#savedyouaclick
by fakedang
3/24/2026 at 7:28:52 AM
Yes, the question is how reliable those claims are.Cuba doesn't have a lot of foreign currency, but it does have a lot of cheap labor, often shockingly skilled labor. Boiling it down to a cost in dollars may not be easy, let alone saying "China won't spend that".
by vintermann
3/24/2026 at 8:00:58 AM
China is most definitely going to be spending that in a tit-for-tat arrangement, as hinted at by the spy stations.by fakedang
3/24/2026 at 9:39:00 AM
Yes, China is already spending so much in much less developed/educated places, seemingly just for "goodwill" or at least to be in a good place once the US hegemony falls. The only reason they wouldn't do it in Cuba would be to avoid needlessly provoking the US, but I think they have a good excuse now (clearly US is the provocateur, they're only restoring some semblance of balance in the longer term).by vintermann
3/24/2026 at 6:54:07 AM
>Trump's constant warmongering against Cuba has given China the opportunity to put a bunch of spy stations on the island.These kinds of claims would really benefit from additional information regarding the nature of such spy stations. What would they do and why? I don't think Cuba is exactly a top tier sigint location.
They could install radar, but that's not spying.
by ohhman11
3/24/2026 at 7:56:42 AM
You'd be surprised at the benefits of something as mundane as proximity in espionage. Especially for a country like China or Russia which is very far away from mainland USA. Tracking troop movements at lower latency, tracking comms on unsecured networks, monitoring satellite launches happening from Florida, etc.by fakedang
3/24/2026 at 9:46:45 AM
What espionage equipment could China put in Cuba that they could not put inside the US?by ohhman11