Cuba currently faces the greatest challenge to its sovereignty and independence in decades. The brutal and repressive economic blockade, which violates all international norms and practices, is taking a heavy toll on the tiny island nation. While Donald Trump and his administration seek to strangle Cuba for its independent foreign policy, the rest of the world is expressing its solidarity.
Unfortunately, Europe, including Canada, has shown little interest in protecting Cuba. As for India, the less said, the better. The foreign policy of the current Indian government is in complete disarray and lacks direction. It shamefully remained silent on Venezuela, and its complete silence on Cuba follows a predictable pattern. This tame surrender to the U.S. is seen by some as an effort to protect the country's supreme leadership from being targeted by American media and the so-called "Deep State," which is adept at blackmailing leaders across the Global South.
Cuba is not merely a small South American nation; it is an inspiration for the entire world. We all remember the iconic image of President Fidel Castro handing over the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement to Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Cuba is not Venezuela; it does not possess vast energy resources. It is not bombing other countries. It has one of the best educational systems in the world and sends doctors and medicines abroad. During COVID, the world witnessed Cuba's significant contribution to the international fight against the pandemic.
Is it not surprising that a nation that claims to champion people's rights is so determined to destroy a well-established country? Why is the United States so obsessed with Cuba? Is it because the Cuban Revolution built a nation with one hundred percent literacy? Is it because the Cuban medical system is so advanced that its doctors and services are in high demand, particularly in the Global South? Is it because Cuba inspired an entire generation of anti-colonial struggles? The answer to all these questions is a resounding yes.
The world's mightiest power demands a "democracy" in Cuba that is favorable to its business interests, one that would allow Miami-based transnational corporations to extend their "Bay Watch" and yachts into the Cuban coastline. In essence, it is about allowing the "Epstein industry" and similar interests to establish a new fiefdom. U.S. capitalist imperialists have been deeply resentful of the Cuban Revolution because it became the most powerful statement of resistance against a mighty neighbour. It was the Cuban Revolution that inspired other movements, not only in Latin American countries like Venezuela and Bolivia but also across Africa. For the American elite, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara were the world's biggest terrorists, but for the rest of the world, they inspired a generation of young people.
Cuba was occupied by Spain from 1492 until 1898. The Spanish-American War brought it under U.S. occupational control from 1898 to 1902. The U.S. elite enjoyed Cuba and invested heavily there. Cuban dance, music, and rum were popular in the United States. Trade boomed, with Cuba exporting sugar and tobacco to the U.S., which was its biggest market. American oligarchs, particularly in Miami, invested heavily in sugar plantations, railroads, utilities, and tourism, becoming the dominant partner in the Cuban economy. Havana became a hotspot for American tourists, gamblers, and celebrities. Cuba's love for baseball, its music, food, and literature had many patrons in the U.S., especially in the Miami region.
On July 26, 1959, the revolution led by Fidel Castro overthrew the U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. The U.S. initially recognized the new government, but Castro's nationalization programs antagonized American leadership. The issue was not simply that Castro was a "revolutionary" or a "dictator," as the U.S. narrative would have us believe, but that he provided an alternative to the corrupt and brutal capitalist system that was exporting its own brand of "democracy" to control the resources and leadership of the Americas.
Once in power, Castro nationalized oil refineries, sugar plantations, and other industries largely controlled by U.S. businessmen. The situation escalated when the U.S. demanded compensation, which Castro refused to provide (a claim still valued at around $1.7 billion today). Cuba also raised taxes on U.S. imports. However, the greatest "sin" committed by Cuba was aligning with the Soviet Union and becoming part of the Communist world. The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis still haunts the United States—a moment when Soviet nuclear missiles were stationed in its own backyard. Under Fidel Castro, Cuba embraced internationalism and began providing training to revolutionary guerrilla movements in Latin America and Africa.
The CIA made numerous attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro, all of which failed. It wasn't that Cuba was a powerful nation capable of taking on the U.S. alone; this was possible because of the strong support of the Soviet Union. In that sense, the dismantling of the Soviet Union was a major blow to the Global South. We might not have witnessed the crises in Venezuela or Iran if the Soviet Union had still existed.
The last decade of the 20th century was disastrous for the bipolar world. The disappearance of the Soviet Union emboldened Western imperialist forces, enabling them to launch regime-change operations unilaterally, often without UN Security Council approval. Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and Yugoslavia (Kosovo) were attacked, and their legitimate leaders were either killed or captured. Russia was too weak to intervene effectively. Though Vladimir Putin has slowly restored Russia's standing, it has played a cautious diplomatic game.
The situations in Syria and Iran were disastrous, with Russia able to do little initially. After the U.S. operation in Venezuela—which led to the controversial capture of President Nicolás Maduro—Donald Trump was emboldened and immediately called for a regime-change operation in Cuba, while also threatening Iran. Cuba is a test case. If Russia cannot protect Cuba now, it will signal a lack of both military strength and diplomatic leverage vis-à-vis the United States, whose primary targets include Russian business interests and energy clients.
As far as India is concerned, people like us had limited understanding of the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba in the mid-1990s, when left parties campaigned in solidarity and collected grain for the Cuban people. Fidel Castro became a global role model. An intellectual, his speeches inspired not only countries fighting colonialism but also youth worldwide. Cuba was not merely a "revolutionary" country speaking out against capitalism; it provided genuine leadership to the Global South and offered a socialist alternative to the world.
While communism in India has often been critiqued for ignoring the caste question—its leadership largely emerging from dominant caste Hindus—it is crucial to examine Fidel Castro's role in addressing the race question in Cuba.
The revolution that ousted Batista on January 1, 1959, garnered massive support not only from Cuba's indigenous people but also from those of African descent. The revolution inspired anti-colonial and anti-imperialist movements across Latin America and Africa. In a historic speech in 1959, Castro declared that Cubans could dance with whomever they wanted, as long as they danced with the Revolution. It is said that this stance, among other factors, led to the exodus of approximately 215,000 white Americans from Cuba by 1963.
Analyses suggest this happened because the white elite would not support a revolution that ended segregation—segregation that was still a reality in American society where Blacks were treated as second-class citizens. Many affluent white Cubans, feeling more comfortable with the racial order in Miami, resented the government's efforts to end racism and segregation and chose to leave. It is also reported that while segregation was legally abolished, some forms of it persist in practice.
Castro's Cuba outlawed all forms of formal discrimination and institutional racism at the very beginning of the revolution in 1959. The aim was to provide a common, quality schooling and education system for all Cuban citizens, both those of African descent and white. Afro-Cuban citizens, who had been marginalized, benefited significantly from the wide range of economic and social reforms.
The focus on housing, education, and health services brought about change, and the representation of Black people in various professions increased. Recreational centres were desegregated and open to all Cubans. Castro's recognition of the importance of addressing segregation was crucial in advancing a socialist agenda that included all citizens, but this was deeply resented by the powerful white elite, who preferred exile in the U.S. to living as equals with their fellow Black countrymen.
The history of Afro-Cubans is, in fact, a dark chapter of the slave trade initiated by European white supremacists and colonisers. They displaced indigenous communities and brought enslaved people from Africa to work in their plantations. This began in 1513 when the first batch of enslaved Africans arrived in Cuba, primarily to work in mines, where revolts and rebellions were common. Havana developed into a hub for local trade and became the primary port for shipping goods to Spain. Rivalry among imperial powers also affected the volume of the slave trade.
After the Seven Years' War with Spain, the British occupied Havana and brought over 10,000 enslaved Africans to work in sugar factories. Both the Spanish and the British used enslaved labour to prosper. By 1840, the number of enslaved Africans in Cuba had grown to 40% of the population, making Cuba the world's largest sugar producer. According to reports, by 1839, Havana had become the largest market for enslaved Africans in the Caribbean, importing around 10,000 slaves a year.
Between 1810 and 1870, Cuba acquired about 600,000 enslaved people. Although Britain prohibited the transatlantic slave trade, Africans continued to be sold into slavery in Havana's markets until the last slave ship arrived in 1867.
Cuba abolished slavery in 1886, but this did not end discrimination. The struggle for rights continued, often in alliance with those fighting for Cuba's independence. The struggle of Afro-Cubans, led by the legendary poet and philosopher José Martí against racism, discrimination, and Spanish colonialism, remains an important chapter in Cuba's revolutionary history. The white elite, well aware of the growing population of Africans due to their own "import" of slave labour, brought over 400,000 Spaniards to Cuba in an effort to maintain white hegemony.
Today, Cuba's total population is nearing 11 million, with nearly one hundred percent literacy. There are currently 1.6 million Cuban immigrants worldwide, 60% of whom have become naturalized U.S. citizens.
Today, Cuba is suffering under an extraordinary economic embargo by the United States, which prevents friendly nations from sending oil and other shipments. It is shocking that ordinary U.S. citizens are deliberately kept in the dark by the corporate media, part of the "deep state" system, which consistently promotes a narrative about "authoritarianism" in Cuba.
Cuba now faces a serious energy crisis as cargo ships are effectively prevented from reaching its shores. The embargo has devastating consequences, but are they greater than the price of its freedom, autonomy, and people's rights? The so-called "democracy" being promoted is nothing but the installation of a puppet regime that would prioritize American business interests at the expense of the local population. All of Latin America has witnessed the CIA's interventions, from Guatemala and Bolivia to Argentina, Colombia, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
It is disappointing that the U.S. economic embargo remains effectively unchallenged, despite being declared unlawful by an overwhelming majority in the UN General Assembly. We have witnessed what happened in Gaza, where Israeli bombing has completely destroyed the city, killing thousands, including children and the elderly, and making millions of people homeless refugees in their own land. Israel could not have done this without the open and shameless backing of the U.S. and its NATO allies.
The killing of children and the bombing of hospitals and schools did not sway the global power elite, who now speak of bringing "peace" to Gaza without the involvement or engagement of the local population and the Palestinian government. It is clear that the goal is for Gaza to become a backyard for U.S. corporations. Does Donald Trump have a similar dream for Cuba, which lies in the "backyard" of the U.S.? Russia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, the BRICS nations, and other countries of the Global South must stand in solidarity with Cuba today.
The Cuban model is a testament to the international acceptance of socialism and the power of international solidarity. The U.S. hates the idea of Cuba and seeks to control it because it fears that if this idea spreads in its own backyard, it could grow and pose a threatening alternative to its capitalist model. Frankly, these fears are overstated, as Cuba is in no way comparable to the U.S. in size or power. It is much smaller than most U.S. states. The core problem is that President Trump wants to serve business interests still waiting to recoup their "losses" from industries nationalized by Fidel Castro without compensation. Castro is no more, but Cuba still lives under the shadow of his legacy.
Today, Cuba is fighting its battle valiantly. It is turning to solar energy as its people face enormous difficulties, reminding us that these are the moments when a nation's will and its solidarity with others are truly tested. Cuba is an idea that remains relevant. In all of Latin America, Cuba stands out, having won 244 medals in 25 Summer and 30 Winter Olympics (a figure that includes medals won by Cuban athletes throughout Olympic history), distantly followed by much larger countries: Brazil with 171, Argentina with 80, and Mexico with 77.
Cuban cigars and its rum, like Bacardi, still rule the market, alongside the ubiquitous portraits, t-shirts, and caps of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. The Cuban people are fighting for their dignity and sovereignty against a mighty neighbour. Shouldn't the Global South and all anti-colonial forces join hands and fight for the Cuban people's right to self-determination? A regime-change operation does not begin suddenly. It starts with building a narrative—labels like "authoritarian," "anti-people," and "undemocratic"—followed by talk of human rights violations and women's rights being trampled.
These projects began long ago but were defeated in many places like Vietnam and Afghanistan. Iraq was destroyed in the name of weapons of mass destruction. Libya was plundered because its leader, Colonel Gaddafi, spoke of a united Africa. Syria was bombed, and the legitimate president of Venezuela faced an assassination attempt and kidnapping, while Iran remains under the threat of a destructive war.
When will this stop? With the United Nations in complete jeopardy and Europe trapped in its own contradictions, it is time for the BRICS nations to join hands and develop a mechanism to protect the countries that may be next on the hit list of Donald Trump and his administration. We must not allow a repeat of Gaza in Cuba. If that happens, forget about a multipolar world order; we will only see the whims and fancies of a unipolar world dominated by the United States. Are we prepared for that?
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*Human rights defender
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