Cubans have lived through decades of U.S.-imposed deprivation. People in the U.S. now experiencing it themselves could learn from the resilience of their neighbors.
Since the escalation of U.S. efforts to strangle the Cuban population began in January 2026, I have visited the island three times. Each visit leaves my heart increasingly heavy, yet also strengthens my determination to defend Cuba.
As a Mexican, I carry with me the appreciation and warm embraces that the Cuban people send to Mexicans on my behalf. Whenever I am there, I speak about the solidarity and understanding Mexicans feel for Cuba, and about how ordinary citizens strive to gather a few kilos of rice for collection points. Listening to Cubans deepens my knowledge of the profound history linking our peoples.
At the same time, as a Mexican American and binational activist, I bear the burden of grasping the realities faced by the typical U.S. citizen. Even after living many years in the United States, I remain struck by how vividly the ideal of democracy persists among its people, despite the ongoing deepening democratic crisis.
The hardships imposed by Washington on Cuba over decades now mirror the struggles at the heart of the empire itself. These difficulties extend beyond migrants, Native Americans, Black communities, and historically marginalized groups. Today, even the white middle class is starting to experience the erosion of freedoms once ensured for them.
Luckily, the U.S. can learn a great deal from Latin America, and Cuba especially. The region’s extensive history of resistance against Washington’s control, along with grassroots democratic efforts reaching beyond mere elections, offers valuable lessons.
Cuba’s social resilience is distinctive, shaped by the severe oppression caused by the enduring U.S. blockade. The United States needs to ensure public healthcare, free higher education, and affordable housing. It must redirect the billions spent on militarization toward its own citizens. Cuba has accomplished these goals.
The aspiration for democracy relies on more than just voting; it grows through initiatives embraced and driven by the people themselves. Now, the U.S. has a chance to demonstrate that its government’s missteps do not represent the will of its people. As C. Wright Mills stated six decades ago, “Cuba’s voice must be heard in the United States, because the United States is too powerful and its responsibilities to the world and to itself are too great for its people not to hear the voices coming from the hungry world.”
While the United States readies for another election season, its policies of warfare and intervention throughout the Global South continue unabated.
Meanwhile, the island nation of 10 million prepares to withstand potential aggression. Cuba’s “Family Guide for Protection in Case of Military Aggression” advises citizens on essential items to pack: identification, radios, candles, food, medicine, and toys to soothe children.
A recent survey by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) shows that over 60 percent of Americans oppose military conflict with Cuba. Concurrently, solidarity groups supporting Cuba in the U.S.—which have existed since the blockade’s inception—are experiencing renewed vigor.
But is it possible for U.S. citizens to halt the destruction their own empire enforces both domestically and abroad? We can only hope, because meaningful change depends solely on the American people. Only then will freedom be attainable for Cuba, the United States, Mexico, and beyond.
Original article: fpif.org
About the Author
