The Language of Power: Cuba libre?
Herman Portocarero, former Belgian and EU ambassador to Havana, and Iana Maisuradze, policy analyst in the EPC’s Europe in the World programme, join Paul Taylor in this episode of The Language of Power to assess Cuba’s deepening political and humanitarian crisis as the island faces renewed pressure from the United States. Against the backdrop of Washington’s tightening energy blockade, mounting economic collapse and mass emigration, the discussion explores where Cuba may be headed, what any US‑Cuban negotiations might entail, and how President Trump’s revival of a hardline Monroe‑style doctrine could reshape the Caribbean.
The conversation examines whether the European Union has any meaningful leverage through diplomacy, humanitarian assistance or international law, or whether Cuba has become a subordinate issue in a transatlantic relationship dominated by US power and European strategic dependence.
You can also listen to the episode here:
This podcast is part of the Europe in the World podcast.
