Ordinary Cubans are prepared to fight a US invasion despite enduring 22-hour daily blackouts caused by halted Venezuelan oil shipments, according to an on-the-ground report. Donald Courter, award-winning journalist and broadcaster and host of the Revolution Report, said the severe energy crisis has brought daily life to a near standstill outside Havana.
Courter said the fuel shortage has crippled basic municipal services. "Garbage is being left on the street uncollected because garbage trucks don't have enough gas to collect it all," he said. The blackouts last for about 22 hours per day outside of Havana, representing the most severe manifestation of the economic pressure.
The fuel crisis has led to garbage accumulating uncollected in Cuban streets because garbage trucks lack sufficient fuel to operate. Courter documented piles of waste growing in neighborhoods as sanitation services falter.
Despite these hardships, Courter said the Cuban people remain defiantly opposed to foreign intervention. He claimed every Cuban he interviewed expressed readiness to fight a US invasion "down to the last drop of blood" and none advocated returning to capitalism.
The journalist drew parallels to the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, which he called a complete failure despite US deployment of bombers, tanks, and Cuban exiles. Cuban forces under Fidel Castro's direct command successfully defended the island with minimal resources against the attempted invasion.
Courter said President Trump wants current Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel to step down but that Díaz-Canel has refused to capitulate. This political stalemate reflects the ongoing tension between the two nations.
Some young Cubans blame their own government rather than the US embargo for the economic crisis, though Courter said this view represents a minority perspective. The dominant sentiment remains one of national unity against external pressure.
Courter made a comparative claim about political systems. He argued Cuba's electoral system is more democratic than America's because it prohibits money in politics and campaigning based on qualifications instead of wealth.
The reporter said any US military action against Cuba would likely take the form of a surgical precision attack targeting leadership rather than prolonged war. He contended the United States would run into another Iran situation. He said targeted strikes would fail to achieve political objectives.
Courter said Cuba has been psychologically preparing for potential conflict with the US for decades due to the long-standing embargo. This sustained readiness has created a population mentally fortified against external threats.
Despite economic challenges, Cuba maintains superior social indicators compared to some US states. According to Courter, the country has lower infant mortality and higher life expectancy than Louisiana.
"The country is ready for war and they're not afraid of a war with the United States," Courter said, summarizing the defiant mood he encountered across Cuba.
