Comrades and friends, I want to discuss the state of siege that has been imposed on the Cuban people since their heroic revolution triumphed in 1959 and which has been redoubled by the Trump Administration in recent weeks. The U.S. empire cannot tolerate a strong independent socialist state in the western hemisphere, in its proverbial “backyard”, a state which is sovereign and controls its own resources, economy, and industry for the benefit of its own citizens. And so it tries to starve this tiny island nation of 11 million people, trying to turn Cuba’s courageous example of independent development and international solidarity into a nightmare of misery and suffering leading ultimately to renewed colonization and submission to the empire and its dictates. That’s what America wants. That’s what Trump wants and he’s very open about it. America’s weaknesses are increasingly being exposed around the world, the limitations of its power are on full display, and also the corruption and venality of its leaders is on display with the Epstein files. So the weakening empire has to show strength through naked displays of force and violence, like it did in Venezuela last month in a raid that killed 32 Cubans along with over 100 Venezuelans and kidnapped a sitting, lawfully elected president. Now the US is sending three aircraft carrier strike groups towards Iran even as it purports to engage in diplomacy.
But Cuba’s no pushover. It’s withstood over sixty years of economic siege and the country and its people have demonstrated their resilience again and again. This isn’t their first rodeo to put it mildly.
Links
Ben Norton, Geopolitical Economy Report, "USA is trying to starve millions of people to collapse Cuba"
Isaac Saney, Black Agenda Report, "Cuba must not fall! Imperialism, resistance and the global stakes of defending the Cuban Revolution"
Manolo De Los Santos, People's Dispatch, "For the Cuban people, surrender is not an option"
