Podcast Summary: Más de uno

Episode: La penúltima encrucijada a la que se enfrenta Cuba
Host: Carlos Alsina (OndaCero)
Air Date: March 13, 2026
Correspondent: Marcos González

Episode Overview

This episode explores Cuba’s latest and perhaps most acute crisis in decades. Amidst severe shortages of fuel, ongoing blackouts, and a declining tourism industry, widespread social discontent is mounting. The situation is reminiscent of the 1990s "Special Period," but international dynamics have added new pressure points. Reported by Marcos González from Iberoamérica, the episode combines on-the-ground voices, political commentary, and somber reflections on Cuba’s precarious crossroads.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Current Crisis and Its Roots

[00:02] - [00:57]

• Marcos González introduces Cuba’s dire state: chronic shortages, nearly nonexistent public transportation, constant blackouts ("apagones eléctricos que ya no son la excepción, sino la norma").
• The social exhaustion is palpable, recalling hardships after the USSR's collapse.
• The U.S., now with RAM in the White House, pushes regime change rhetoric, intensifying both political and civil tensions.

2. Tourism Collapse and Societal Impact

[00:59] - [01:50]

• The decline in tourism, a key income source, is highlighted with evocative imagery: once-familiar street music fading, replaced by "cacerolazos" (pot-banging protests).
• Chronic poverty is now exacerbated by recent geopolitical moves: capture of Nicolás Maduro by the U.S., and Trump (as a continuing political actor) halting Venezuelan oil shipments. The squeeze is felt most by everyday Cubans.

3. Cuban Voices: Calls for Dignity and Dialogue

[00:57], [01:50], [02:46], [03:10]

• Citizens directly express their struggle (“Esto está malo, no hay comida, en la bodega no viene nada, nada”).
• Cubans debate sovereignty and dignity in the face of aggressive U.S. policy.
• President Díaz-Canel’s openness to dialogue is noted, but underlines that “el diálogo no puede ser bajo presión”.

4. International Context and U.S. Policy

[02:03] - [02:46]

• Trump’s recurrent threats position Cuba as “el próximo objetivo” post-Irán, painting a climate of international intimidation.
• The embargo and cut in vital supplies (fuel, medicine) dramatically increase hardship—schools closed, garbage uncollected, hospitals underequipped.

5. Firsthand Testimonies of Hardship and Hope

[02:46] - [03:10]

• Unfiltered citizen accounts lay bare the crisis: empty pharmacies, lack of food and milk for children, widespread desperation but also a persistent suggestion that change may be coming.
• Reference to a popular saying infuses hope and resilience: “No hay mal que dure cien años, ni cuerpo que lo resista. Aquí todo tiene que cambiar.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Marcos González (Opening, [00:02]):
  “Cuba está en situación límite una vez más. Esto puede que no suene novedoso, aunque esta vez la crisis social se extiende por la isla ante la falta de combustible, la ausencia de servicio, sin transporte público y con apagones eléctricos que ya no son la excepción, sino la norma.”

• Cuban Citizen ([01:50]):
  “¿Qué derecho tiene un emperador? ¿Qué derecho tiene un imperio? Nosotros, incluso en medio de toda esta agresión y del bloqueo de todos estos años, hemos dicho que tenemos capacidad y disposición para dialogar con el gobierno de Estados Unidos. Lo que pasa que el diálogo no puede ser bajo presión.”

• Narrator on Trump’s stance ([02:03]):
  “Lo que está pasando con Cuba es increíble, dijo Trump ... Queremos hacer esa Cuba especial mientras gran parte de los cubanos se centran hoy en día en una sola cosa: sobrevivir.”

• Anonymous Cuban Citizen ([02:46]):
  “Esto está malo, no hay comida, en la bodega no viene nada, nada, aquí no hay ni medicina chicos, las farmacias están vacías, no hay tres meses de mi nieto no coma leche, ni los viejitos no tienen ni para comer.”

• Anonymous Cuban Citizen ([03:10]):
  “Esta gente no puede mantener a Cuba, entonces el pueblo está sufriendo, estamos muy malos. Hay un Fran que dice no hay mal que dure cien años, ni cuerpo que lo resista, aquí todo tiene que cambiar.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Crisis Context & 1990s Parallel — [00:02]–[00:57]
• Tourism’s Decline, Protests & Escalating Hardship — [00:59]–[01:50]
• Cuban Dignity, Call for Dialogue & the U.S Factor — [01:50]–[02:46]
• Testimonies of Shortage and Despair — [02:46]–[03:10]
• Closing Reflections on Hope & Need for Change — [03:10]–[end]

Overall Tone

Somber, urgent, and direct, with interludes of both humor and stark realism. The episode foregrounds raw, authentic voices, providing listeners with a gripping snapshot of a nation in distress, resilient but at a breaking point.