Cuba Faces Humanitarian Crisis Amid U.S. Sanctions and Embargo

WHO:

CBS News - Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the economic campaign against Cuba is designed to make the government feel like there are "no escape valves."

CBS News - Cuba's foreign minister described the sanctions as "collective punishment."

WHAT:

CBS News - The Trump administration imposed new sanctions against Cuba's state-run bank on October 13, 2026, claiming it has ties to Iran.

CBS News - A woman in Havana reported that she tries to stretch each baguette she buys for at least two days, as bread prices have risen tenfold within the year.

CBS News - Cubans are experiencing power blackouts and facing obstacles accessing medicine due to U.S. sanctions and embargo.

CBS News - The U.S. has imposed new sanctions against Cuba's state-run bank, claiming it has ties to Iran.

CBS News - Bread prices in Cuba have risen tenfold within the year.

CBS News - Most places in Cuba receive only a few hours of electricity a day, often less.

CBS News - Pensioners in Cuba can wait for hours to collect their government wages.

WHERE:

CBS News - The situation is particularly severe in Havana, Cuba, where parents are lining up for care at children's hospitals.

CBS News - A bread line was observed in one of Havana's more upscale neighborhoods.

WHY:

CBS News - The U.S. embargo on oil imports is blamed for the worsening economic and humanitarian crisis in Cuba, with the Trump administration targeting Cuba's Communist government through sanctions.

CBS News - The U.S. embargo on oil imports is blamed for the worsening economic and humanitarian crisis in Cuba.

CBS News - The Trump administration aims to pressure Cuba's Communist government through sanctions.

HOW:

CBS News - Some Cubans have turned to free, community-run pharmacies for medicine, while others buy from black-market street vendors.

CBS News - Some Cubans have turned to free, community-run pharmacies for medicine, while others buy from black-market street vendors.

CBS News - Cuba has enacted economic reforms aimed at opening up the private sector, although political reform is not expected.

(UPDATED October 17, 2026 02:06 UTC)

The Trump administration has imposed new sanctions against Cuba's state-run bank, citing its ties to Iran, as part of an effort to target Cuba's Communist government amid a worsening economic and humanitarian crisis. In Havana, a woman shared that she now stretches each baguette she buys for at least two days, as bread prices have skyrocketed tenfold over the past year. Many Cubans are turning to free, community-run pharmacies for medicine, while others are resorting to black-market street vendors to meet their needs.

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(UPDATED October 16, 2026 18:01 UTC)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the economic campaign against Cuba is intended to create a situation where the government feels there are "no escape valves," while Cuba's foreign minister has labeled the sanctions as "collective punishment." As a result, Cubans are facing severe challenges, including power blackouts, rising bread prices that have surged tenfold in a year, and long waits for pension payments, particularly in Havana where parents are lining up for children's hospital care. The U.S. has imposed new sanctions against Cuba's state-run bank, claiming ties to Iran, and the ongoing embargo on oil imports is exacerbating the country's economic and humanitarian crisis.