{"id":39548,"date":"2026-05-23T21:21:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T19:21:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=39548"},"modified":"2026-05-23T21:23:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T19:23:15","slug":"cuba-is-not-a-failed-state-it-is-a-besieged-state-we-need-to-build-a-unified-resistance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=39548","title":{"rendered":"Cuba Is Not a Failed State \u2013 It Is a Besieged State. We Need to Build\u00a0a Unified\u00a0Resistance"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .<\/p>\n

A email message received at CPNN from the United National Antiwar Coalition<\/a><\/p>\n

The statement below is a response to the ongoing blockade against Cuba and the propaganda derived from it.\u00a0 \u00a0We hope you will endorse this statement, but we also hope you will commit to emergency actions if the Trump Administration follows through with their threats to invade Cuba.<\/p>\n


\n\"\"<\/a>
\nCuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel lead mass march against US blockade
\n<\/center><\/p>\n

Sign On\u00a0<\/a> to\u00a0 \u201cCuba is Not a Failed State \u2013 It Is a Besieged State\u201d
\nRegister\u00a0<\/a> your Emergency\u00a0 Actions<\/p>\n

At this critical junction in world history when the Cuban Revolution is being threatened by US hegemon, it is essential to come to its defense.\u00a0Cuba is the hope of humanity.<\/p>\n

We defend Cuba by combating the intentionally negative stereotyping of a failed state. The problems Cuba faces under blockade conditions should not be portrayed in such alarmist ways that it reinforces Washington\u2019s propaganda. We need to combat this defeatist approach.
\nCuba is being sanctioned for the crime of being a good example.<\/p>\n

That Washington continues to intensify its six-decade campaign against the Cuban Revolution testifies to the island\u2019s resilience and strength.<\/p>\n

Washington\u2019s regime-change campaign has taken a heavy toll. Responsible Statecraft describes US policy as \u201cbent on breaking the island.\u201d The Guardian reports \u201can epidemic of flies, rats, waste and foul odors.\u201d<\/p>\n

These accounts portray Cuban hardship but intentionally overlook Cuban social achievements. Even statements from Congressional leaders advocating for an end to the blockade by focusing on the crisis it has created, can feed into Washington\u2019s self-serving narrative that Cuba is a \u201cfailed nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

When descriptions of the humanitarian crisis caused by the escalated blockade do not question the ideological assumption that accepts capitalism as the natural state of humanity, they can be used to depict socialism as an abortive failed experiment.<\/p>\n

This is why solidarity activists must take special care to highlight the incredible achievements of Cuba, even under blockade conditions, all while waging an active campaign against the sanctions and gathering supplies to take to the island in solidarity.<\/p>\n

Doing so much with so little<\/p>\n

The Center for Economic and Policy Research documents a dramatic increase in infant mortality from 4.9, now rising to 9.9 per 1,000 live births, attributable to deteriorating living conditions caused by the US economic war.<\/p>\n

Yet, even under this intentional strangulation, Cuba\u2019s infant mortality rate remains among the lowest in the region. Cuba has free public, personalized healthcare for every Cuban from birth and throughout life.<\/p>\n

Surrounding countries that are not facing any U.S. sanctions but are forced to survive under capitalist relations have consistently higher infant mortality rates. Panama (11), Dominican Republic (16), El Salvador (12), Honduras (15), Guatemala (20), Jamaica (12), Haiti (45-50).<\/p>\n

Most stunning is that Cuba\u2019s infant mortality figures under a ruthless blockade are still lower than for African Americans in the U.S. (10.9).<\/p>\n

This reflects the demonstrated success of Cuba\u2019s social medicine model, even under the most challenging of circumstances.<\/p>\n

(continued in right column)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\nQuestion related to this article:<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n
\n 
\n How can we best express solidarity with Cuba? <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(continued from left column)<\/p>\n

Using Cuba\u2019s example of people-centered healthcare, Nicaragua dramatically reduced their infant mortality from 29 deaths per thousand in 2005 under a right-wing, pro U.S. government to 9 under the Sandinistas and with the assistance of Cuban doctors.<\/p>\n

This is why the Trump administration is determined to block Cuban medical staff from providing medical care in the Caribbean. A dozen countries have acquiesced to demands from the U.S. to end medical agreements with Cuba.<\/p>\n

Cuba\u2019s medical staff focuses heavily on underserved areas in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. They provide more doctors and medical staff than the World Health Organization and most western nations combined. The United States calls Cuba\u2019s medical internationalism \u201chuman trafficking\u201d \u2013 but it\u2019s really an internationalist lifeline for the Global South.<\/p>\n

Cuba is not alone, as it receives significant solidarity aid from allied states. China, for example, is helping address Cuba\u2019s fossil fuel dependency by supplying 49 solar farms (20% of all its energy needs) and fleets of electric buses, cars, and scooters. Our solidarity movement should highlight and encourage such international cooperation.<\/p>\n

Among Cuba\u2019s public health achievements are its international medical brigades, excellence in advanced research, response to the pandemic, service to underserved populations, south-south cooperation initiatives, and the world\u2019s highest doctor-to-patient ratios.<\/p>\n

The Cuban socialist model has also produced notable successes in sports and public education.<\/p>\n

Writing from Cuba, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio defended the country\u2019s accomplishments over the past decade despite the \u201cintense economic war,\u201d including:<\/p>\n

\u00b0 sustaining the national electrical system while expanding renewable energy<\/p>\n

\u00b0 strengthening telecommunications and expanding internet access<\/p>\n

\u00b0 supporting vulnerable populations through food cultivation<\/p>\n

\u00b0 improving water infrastructure in underserved communities<\/p>\n

\u00b0 developing COVID vaccines and other medicines
\nexpanding domestic industry including the assembly of electric vehicles<\/p>\n

For a small, natural resource-poor island, Cuba has achieved so much with so little and under such extraordinarily adverse conditions. The nation asks only that the jackboot of imperialism be lifted so that it may truly flourish.<\/p>\n

International people\u2019s solidarity must not allow these incredible achievements to be overlooked as we advocate for relief from the cruel blockade. We should describe this crisis the same way that the Cuban leadership describes it \u2013 acknowledging the harms of US imperialism, but always stressing the achievements of the Cuban revolution and the power of solidarity and cooperation.<\/p>\n

\u00a1Venceremos!<\/p>\n

Leading Organizers from the Following Organizations support this Cuba statement and the Call to Action. <\/p>\n

United National Antiwar Coalition, Cuba Si NY\/NJ, International US-Cuba Normalization Conference, Venezuela Solidarity Network, US Peace Council, Alliance for Global Justice, SanctionsKill! Campaign, Resist U.S. Led War Movement, Black Alliance for Peace, International League of Peoples Struggles, Americas Without Sanctions, Chicago ALBA Solidarity, Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition, Task Force on the Americas, International Action Center, Veterans For Peace, Code Pink NY, National Lawyers Guild, Anti War Action Network, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Socialist Action, Bronx Antiwar, Compas de la Diaspora, Struggle for Socialism Party, Alberto Lovera Bolivarian Circle, Diaspora Pa\u2019lante Collective, Workers World Party,<\/p>\n

(This statement was initiated by the SanctionsKill Campaign.)<\/p>\n

Add your support and help to circulate this statement.<\/p>\n

– – – – – –<\/p>\n

If you wish to make a comment on this article, you may write to coordinator@cpnn-world.org with the title “Comment on (name of article)” and we will put your comment on line. Because of the flood of spam, we have discontinued the direct application of comments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY . A email message received at CPNN from the United National Antiwar Coalition The statement below is a response to the ongoing blockade against Cuba and the propaganda derived from it.\u00a0 \u00a0We hope you will endorse this statement, but we also hope you will commit to emergency actions if the Trump … Continue reading Cuba Is Not a Failed State \u2013 It Is a Besieged State. We Need to Build\u00a0a Unified\u00a0Resistance<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77,14],"tags":[20],"class_list":["post-39548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latin-america","category-tolerance","tag-latin-america"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39548"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39548\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39551,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39548\/revisions\/39551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}