About this episode
The episode explores the challenges facing Cuba's economy due to US sanctions and its historical economic strategies.
Live event info and tickets here. For more than 60 years, Cuba has survived on two seemingly contradictory economic strategies: leaning on friendly communist and socialist countries, and flirting with capitalism. And right now it seems the US is making both strategies impossible. Since January, the U.S. has been preventing almost all oil from reaching the island. Doctors can’t get to the hospitals where they work, many buses aren’t running, trucks can’t deliver food and medicine where they’re needed. And there have been frequent blackouts. On more than one occasion over the last few weeks, the entire country has lacked power. It’s hard for people to even talk on the phone because they can’t always charge them or get cell service. So we asked them to send us voice notes describing this moment in Cuba’s history. We also wanted to know: How did Cuba get here? On today’s episode: a brief history of Cuba’s communist-capitalist experiment. Pre-order the Planet Money book and get a free gift . / Subscribe to Planet Money+ Listen free: Apple Podcasts , Spotify , the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts. Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter . This show was hosted by Erika…
People in this episode
Hosts: Erika Beras, Nick Fountain, Alex Goldmark
Topics covered
- Cuba's economy
- communism
- capitalism
- US-Cuba relations
- economic strategies
- blackouts
- healthcare
Keywords
- Cuba
- economy
- US sanctions
- communism
- capitalism
- blackouts
- healthcare
- economic strategies
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: NPR
Places: Cuba, United States
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