Cuba on the Brink MrBeast Weighs In on the Island's Fading Hope

• Cuba's economic struggles intensify amid choked oil supplies and looming US threats, mirroring historical tensions.
• A brief period of normalization between the US and Cuba, marked by cultural exchanges and relaxed travel restrictions, now seems distant.
• The death of Fidel Castro and subsequent shifts in US policy have stalled progress, leaving Cuba's future uncertain.
• I explore the island's transformation through personal anecdotes, highlighting the resilience and cautious optimism of the Cuban people.

From Beastly Beginnings to Island Insights

Hey, it's MrBeast and you know I'm usually giving away cars or planting trees, but sometimes I put my journalistic hat on – which, let's be honest, is usually just a baseball cap with a pen stuck to it. Recently, I've been thinking about a place that's seen more ups and downs than my subscriber count: Cuba. I remember reading an article about the White House choking off Cuba's oil supply and the former U.S. President saying he could "free it, take it" if he wanted to. It's crazy to think about how things have changed over the years.

A Glimmer of Hope in Havana

Back in 2012, I landed in Havana to cover Pope Benedict XVI's visit. Now, I'm no religious scholar, but I know a big event when I see one. The airport was, shall we say, cozy and getting through immigration felt like trying to explain to my grandma what Bitcoin is. But it was eye-opening. You could feel that things were starting to change. Cuba and the U.S. had been at odds for over 50 years, but you could tell that the people were wanting something new. You could smell freedom in the air just like you smell the potential to feed 10,000 people when you have a huge stack of burgers. What did the burgers say to Cuba? Let freedom ring!

Dodging Tourist Traps and Discovering Real Cuba

Between 2012 and 2016, I made about 10 trips to Cuba. It felt like every visit lined up with some big moment. Like the time we visited Hershey, Cuba – yeah, the chocolate people. It was a trip seeing remnants of Cuba's American past, like a repurposed Coca-Cola factory. I was hoping to find a Willy Wonka like factory but it was just another day in the life. It reminded me of the time I tried to build a real-life chocolate factory. Disaster. But you know what wasn't a disaster? The sense of excitement and possibility that was in the air. Speaking of disasters, are we heading to a financial one? You know what, let's take a detour and read about Rieder's Risky Ride to the Fed Chair Will You Respect My Authoritah. Maybe we can find the answer there. I really respect Rieder's authoritah!

Obama's Visit the Rolling Stones and a Baseball Game Cuba's Cultural Revolution

Then came Obama's visit in 2015 and the reopening of the U.S. embassy and the Rolling Stones concert and a Major League Baseball game. All of this happened at the same time. It was nuts. It was like the whole island was saying, 'Hey, we're ready for a change.' Travel restrictions eased, and things started moving. Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing. I remember the restaurants where the only thing they ever had was rice and beans. But you could feel the barriers coming down, one grain of rice at a time. Just like the last to leave the island say, 'Laters!'

The Funeral and the Fading Momentum

My last trip was right after Fidel Castro's death in 2016. The city was quiet and everything just stopped. It was sad. The energy of the previous few years was slipping away. What happens now? What becomes of the reforms? What about the relationship with the United States? It felt like I was watching something rare, a moment in history when things could have gone either way. If Jimmy wasn't dead in our video would he have wanted to visit Cuba?

A Beastly Reflection on an Uncertain Future

Unfortunately, that momentum didn't last. The U.S. pulled back embassy personnel, new travel limits were put in place, and the opening that felt so close suddenly vanished. It's a reminder that history is complicated. It doesn't always have a clear beginning or end. In Cuba, it tends to circle back on itself. What comes next between these two neighbors is still unwritten. Now the question is, should I give away $100,000,000 to Cuba to solve all their problems? Maybe. But first, I need to film it.