Cuba’s Crisis: From Chávez’s Aid to Maduro’s Fall & A Nation’s Defiance

Havana – On January 27th, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel joined thousands of students, soldiers, and government officials at the March of the Torches, an annual event held at the University of Havana’s La Escalinata staircase. The march, commemorating the birth of Cuban nationalist hero José Martí, took on a defiant tone this year, coinciding with the centennial of Fidel Castro’s birth and occurring amidst a period of heightened political and economic instability for the island nation. The event underscored Cuba’s precarious position following the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the subsequent reduction in crucial oil shipments from Caracas.

For decades, Cuba’s economic survival hinged on a close alliance with Venezuela, forged by Hugo Chávez in 1999. Chávez, who viewed Fidel Castro as a mentor, initiated a pact wherein Venezuela supplied Cuba with oil, while Cuba provided thousands of doctors, teachers, and security personnel to Venezuela. As the Cuban government noted, Chávez was a “sincere friend” to Cuba, and the relationship blossomed to the point where observers jokingly referred to a merged entity, “Cubazuela.” This support was particularly vital after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, which devastated the Cuban economy.

The relationship deepened significantly after Chávez’s 1994 visit to Havana, as detailed in Venezuela Analysis. By 2004, Venezuela had nearly doubled its daily oil deliveries to Cuba, and Havana reciprocated by doubling the number of healthcare professionals and teachers sent to Venezuela. This exchange of resources allowed Cuba to maintain a degree of economic stability and project influence throughout the Caribbean, contributing to a regional shift away from U.S. Dominance, as noted in Wikipedia.

However, the death of Chávez in 2013 and the subsequent economic crisis in Venezuela, exacerbated by falling global oil prices, began to unravel this lifeline. While Maduro continued to send oil to Cuba after succeeding Chávez, the volume drastically decreased. By 2025, shipments had fallen to roughly a third of previous levels, with Mexico stepping in to partially fill the gap. The recent capture of Maduro, as referenced in the speech by Litza Elena González Desdín at the March of the Torches, has further jeopardized this crucial supply.

González Desdín, head of the government-aligned student federation, used the occasion to denounce the “cowardly military aggression of the United States against Venezuela” and to commemorate the thirty-two Cuban security personnel killed while protecting Maduro. This underscores the extent of Cuba’s commitment to supporting the Venezuelan government, even as its own economic situation deteriorates. The loss of these personnel, acknowledged during the march, highlights the tangible cost of the alliance.

The historical roots of Cuban nationalism, central to the messaging at the March of the Torches, are deeply intertwined with the legacy of José Martí. Martí, a 19th-century poet and journalist, played a pivotal role in Cuba’s fight for independence from Spain. His call to sacrifice for “la patria” (the fatherland) remains a powerful ideological force on the island. Castro himself invoked Martí’s legacy in 1953, leading a torchlight procession to commemorate the centenary of Martí’s birth – a tradition that continues to this day.

The current situation echoes the early 1990s, when the collapse of the Soviet Union plunged Cuba into a severe economic crisis known as the “Special Period.” However, unlike that era, there is no charismatic leader like Chávez to provide substantial economic assistance. The future of Cuba, now largely isolated and facing internal discontent, remains uncertain. The government’s reliance on rhetoric of anti-imperialism and national sacrifice, as displayed at the March of the Torches, may prove insufficient to address the growing economic and political challenges.