During a press conference where Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel officially announced talks with Washington, the importance of the Cuban diaspora was highlighted. While Obama sought to achieve this through people-to-people exchanges, it seems the current president, Donald Trump, offers them no other choice. Joe Garcia, a Democratic congressman from Florida during the Obama administration, said: 'If in the Obama era a natural and attractive change was expected on the island, the current approach seems completely different.' Attracting Cubans living abroad appears to be one of the cards held by both the Cuban and American governments.Veronica, a mother of two living in Havana, was in a state of shock. Her life was filled with caring for her children, power outages of more than 15 hours a day, and having to change jobs twice in a month. When she woke up, her heart was pounding. She watched the president's speech on TV while preparing breakfast, and her attention was drawn to his comments on upcoming measures concerning Cuban immigrants and the possibility of investing in Cuba without excessive restrictions. For many Cubans living on the island, the struggle for survival has become an everyday reality. They try to start new businesses, young people try to enter the job market, and mothers have to find a way to feed their families despite rising prices and prolonged power outages.After dropping her children at school, Veronica got in a long line in her El Cerro neighborhood to buy a bottle of cooking oil for 900 Cuban pesos (about two dollars). A deal, at a time when this product, which has now become rare, costs about three dollars when it can be found at all. In line, she was met by another woman, a bit younger than her. This announcement surprised many Cubans, including Veronica, who longs for real change that would improve her chaotic life as a mother and the future of her children.President Díaz-Canel didn't offer much, but he confirmed what was previously called negotiations. American authorities confirmed they are seeking to change Cuba's ailing economy. Cuba's electrical grid operates as a network of separate generating units. As a result, restarting it is a complex process that can take several days in some cases. Cuban authorities may pressure the country to accept more flights for its citizens to return, especially amid widespread deportations of immigrants from the United States. Cuba recently accepted its first flight with citizens convicted of criminal offenses, a major shift in policy, as the island had previously categorically rejected this.The Cuban power grid operates as a network of separate generating units. They sat together at 7:30 a.m. by the radio to find out what the president would say to Cubans in the face of an ongoing crisis. This time, the Cuban government did have genuinely important news to announce. Perhaps the news of Cuba starting talks with the United States could be the first step toward easing the tragic situation in the country, which has been suffering from a structural crisis for years, exacerbated by direct pressure from the Trump administration, leaving Cubans more desperate due to constant power outages and deteriorating living conditions.The Cuban authorities' announcement of starting talks with the US government to 'seek solutions' and 'move away from confrontation' confirms what had until now been just rumors and statements from unnamed American officials, as well as Trump's assertions that Havana had not denied. A month had passed without President Díaz-Canel facing the press, limiting himself to unimportant messages on the 'X' platform and brief appearances at official meetings, which later became reports in state media. They all watch the days pass, waiting for something to change and for someone to finally tell them that things have changed.The Cuban government is focusing on empowering the private sector to support the struggling economy. For years, exiled Cubans have supported their relatives on the island through money transfers and shipments of basic goods, amid electricity and food shortages. Although the content of the talks between the American and Cuban governments is still unclear, one possible topic could be deportation.Cuba starting talks with the United States could be the first step toward easing the tragic situation in the country. Cubans are forced to endure power outages of more than 15 hours a day, while some of them change jobs twice a month.Many Cubans on the island engage in a daily struggle to cope with the crisis in their country. Among them are those trying to start new businesses, young people trying to enter the job market, and mothers who have to find a way to feed their families despite rising prices and prolonged power outages. He also pointed out that another new thing in the president's speech was the announcement of the expected arrival of experts from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation on the island to investigate the recent incident involving a speedboat coming from Florida. He added: 'As for the rest of the president's statements, they sounded like more of the same.' Ariel was not reassured even when Díás-Canel addressed workers who had been laid off and would be transferred to other sectors or companies during the current state of emergency.After watching the president's press conference, a Cuban woman who preferred not to be named said she accepts the government's explanations 'despite everything,' although she admits that 'the situation is unsustainable.' Her work requires constant internet connection and long hours at a computer, which has become nearly impossible, especially when a partial collapse of the national power grid led to power outages in more than half of the country, a problem the authorities are struggling to solve.She said: 'This situation affects the way of life, social life, and the nervous system,' explaining that she is in a state of stress 24 hours a day and often only sleeps two hours, because 'at the moment they restore the electricity, she has to wake up to do the laundry, cook, and turn on the water pump.'She said: 'I hope all these silly obstacles are removed.' However, while listening to the speech, she only expected two possible outcomes: 'Either he will say they are giving up and admitting they can no longer bear it, or he will just spout nonsense and endless justifications. The latest of which was a post on 'X' two days ago, in which he said: 'The United States will face stiff resistance if it tries to control Cuba.'According to the government's usual policy of secrecy, the Cuban authorities unexpectedly broke their silence, with a prominent presence on the political scene of Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as 'El Canjero,' the powerful grandson of former Cuban president Raúl Castro. She added that if the situation continues like this, 'we will all be in trouble.'Another Cuban woman, who also preferred not to reveal her identity, said: 'Díaz-Canel's words do not bring much comfort, he is skillful at dodging questions and always gives the same answer... all because of the blockade.' But, among all this rhetoric, Díaz-Canel clarified some points, such as the fact that oil has not entered Cuba in the last three months.In the municipality of Cardenas, Cuban Ariel J. believes that, in addition to announcing talks with the United States, new measures regarding Cuba's relationship with the Cuban diaspora will soon be revealed. He described it as 'a complete insult to workers in the tourism sector.'Massive power outages have paralyzed life in this Caribbean country, which was already mired in a deep crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic.The last mass demonstrations took place in July 2021 and resulted in sentences of up to 30 years in prison. However, the crisis also gave rise to more significant events: last weekend, a group of protesters set fire to the headquarters of the Cuban Communist Party, and five Cubans have been arrested so far. As a result, the country's GDP has fallen by 15%, and up to 20% of the population has emigrated, especially the working-age youth.Prolonged power outages, shortages of basic goods, lack of gasoline, and absence of civil liberties were the main drivers of discontent on the island.Since 2022, after Hurricane 'Ian,' the authorities took a full week to restore electricity. Cubans are accustomed to power outages in the national grid.The current Cuban government's strategy focuses on empowering the private sector to support Cuba's ailing economy, where the inflation rate exceeds 12%.From the beginning, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, an American of Cuban origin, stated that the goal is to change Cuba's ailing economy, not to bring about political change. This plan, which has drawn wide criticism from the more conservative wing of the Cuban diaspora, revives several measures launched by former US President Barack Obama in 2014, when he promoted a 'rapprochement' policy with Havana that, among other things, boosted the private sector on the island. The alternative offered to him was to work as a gravedigger or cemetery caretaker for about 3,000 pesos a month (about six dollars).Ariel is one of those affected; he works at the 'Iberostar Selection Varadero' hotel, where occupancy has dropped to about 50 guests out of 900 available rooms. The second option happened.'
