For six decades, Cuba has navigated life under a U.S. trade embargo – a policy one Havana resident calls \"economic warfare.\" José Sanches do Nascimento, a marine biologist turned aquarium shop owner, reveals how scarce resources and inflated costs threaten his livelihood. 🌊🐠
\"I struggle to get basic filters and fish food,\" he told us, explaining how the 1962 embargo forces him to source supplies through third countries at triple the price. His story mirrors nationwide challenges: Cuba estimates $150 billion in cumulative losses from the policy.
📆 The embargo began during the Cold War's peak but persists through 11 U.S. presidencies. While framed as a political tool, Sanches argues \"it’s everyday people who pay the price\" through medicine shortages and stunted economic growth.
As global calls grow to end the sanctions, stories like his highlight the human dimension of geopolitical decisions. Could changing tides in international relations finally bring relief? 🤝🌍
