For more than a decade, Charles Bittner has led American travelers to Cuba — nearly 80 group trips in all. But in a recent interview with WABE’s “All Things Considered,” he said his most recent visit, just weeks ago, felt unlike anything he had seen before.
“Wherever we went, we were the only people there,” Bittner said. “Restaurants that had been thriving… were absolutely dead.”
Bittner, a sociology professor who began organizing educational and cultural trips about 13 years ago, says the changes he’s witnessed in Cuba track closely with shifts in United States policy. His first visit came during the administration of George W. Bush, when travel was tightly restricted but still possible under specific licenses.
Later, during Barack Obama’s presidency, relations thawed. “It was like the floodgates opened,” Bittner said. “You couldn’t even imagine the number of American groups.”
Bittner says restrictions tightened again under Donald Trump, including limits on travel and the suspension of cruise ship visits.
Fuel, power and daily life
Bittner described a country struggling with severe shortages of fuel and electricity, “It’s a country that’s not moving,” he said. “Nothing’s moving.”
Without reliable fuel, transportation has slowed dramatically. He said food sometimes fails to reach markets, and hospitals and public services are under strain.
“There’s no gas for ambulances… no power in hospitals,” he said, recounting the fears of a friend whose wife was about to give birth.
Outages remain common, especially outside privately run hotels that can afford generators, and even then, a gallon of gas can run $30 or more.
“When you walk down onto the street,” Bittner said, “it’s complete blackness.”
Policy and perspective
U.S. policy toward Cuba has been a point of political contention for decades, particularly in election years and among Cuban American communities in Florida. Lawmakers continue to debate whether sanctions encourage political reform or deepen economic hardship.
“When you ask a Cuban how things are,” he said, “a lot of them answer, ‘aquí en la lucha’… I’m here in the struggle.”
At the same time, he says he has not seen a major shift in how ordinary Cubans view Americans or American culture.
“They understand the distinction between the government and the people,” he said. “Americans are still welcomed.”
Uncertain future
Despite the challenges, Bittner said he plans to continue leading trips if conditions allow. But he acknowledges the uncertainty.
“’Es complicado’… it’s complicated,” he said. “We don’t know whether we’re going to be able to go or not.”
For him, the stakes are personal, maintaining relationships built over years of travel. For Cubans, he says, the uncertainty is far greater.
“When I think about 10 million people… having no idea month to month what’s going to happen,” he said, “their lives are day to day… surviving the day.”
Christopher Alston contributed to this report.
