Donald Trump could be the man to save Cuba

Donald Trump could be the man to save Cuba

Ideological certainties have hurt Cubans for 70 years. Time to give cynicism a chance

Illustration of Trump's hand putting a pin in a map of Cuba, another pin has the Cuban flag with Trimp's tie forming the red part of the flag
Illustration: Chloe Cushman

FOR TOO long, dreams of heroic purity have harmed ordinary Cubans, both on the island and in exile. Cuba’s dwindling population of perhaps 9m rose this morning to yet another day of sweltering, man-made misery. With food, medicine, electrical power and clean water in short supply, Cubans can expect no swift relief from the ruling Communist Party. The island’s leaders are stubborn, lonely men. Fearing that openness will cost them control of their failed revolutionary project, they are trapped in a stance of fist-shaking resistance towards the world’s richest country, less than 200km away.

This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Donald Trump could be the man to save Cuba”

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