Description: Republican majority Senate blocked a Democrat – led resolution to constrain President Trump’s administration from continuing to impose an energy blockade or order military action on Cuba as opposed to requiring approval from the Senate before doing so. Cuba has come under scrutiny in recent months after Trump ordered an energy blockade of the island and threatened to use military force if necessary. The Senate vote went in favor of the Republican party by 51 – 47 margin which leaves Trump’s administration discretionary powers to enhance, continue and even escalate the economic blockade. Cuba has been in a revolving energy and economic crisis, affecting the entire country as it has been under US sanctions for the better part of the past 6 to 7 decades.
Impact: Trump’s insistence on pressuring Cuba economically and threatening to use military force is part of the regional prioritization of geopolitical goals as the US is highly likely using political ideology pretexts to further suffocate Cuba economically and force it into the US sphere of influence. Cuba’s administration and its civil population have so far resisted the crisis, however, continued economic pressure and threats of military intervention could force civic unrest and internal civil instability that could potentially lead to a political crisis. Military intervention at this point is highly unlikely as Trump’s interventions have been largely unpopular within its voting pool as well as the general public while most of the security and defense apparatus is currently focused on the crisis in Iran. Negotiations are currently ongoing, however, little to no progress has been made which indicates that most likely the economic blockade would continue raising the country’s economic and energy crisis plunging the civil population under dire living conditions and Cuba’s government under immense domestic and foreign pressure to adjust its position.