The Cuban Revolution has been, from its inception, the target of a hostile and systematic policy by the United States government. The economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed on the island constitutes a prolonged aggression aimed at breaking the resistance of a people who, since 1959, have been striving to build a prosperous future without relinquishing their independence and sovereignty.

The coercive measures implemented by Washington shortly after the popular uprising defeated the Batista dictatorship not only affect the national economy in its broadest sense, but also directly impact the daily lives of Cubans. The current shortages of food, fuel, and resources for hospitals, schools, and other vital centers have an undeniable cause-and-effect relationship with the U.S. embargo, intensified after the executive order signed by Donald Trump on January 29 of this year. This policy disregards basic principles of justice and humanity, yet it has been applied with varying degrees of severity by U.S. presidents for more than six decades.

The legal framework that sustains the embargo is based on a set of policies, laws, and provisions such as the Helms-Burton Act and the Torricelli Act, which codify and strengthen the sanctions against Cuba. These regulations, often approved with extraterritorial reach, seek to prevent or at least hinder economic relations between third countries and the island and consolidate a system that perpetuates aggression against Cuba, using politicized and distorted arguments about the Cuban political system.

Year after year, the majority of the international community rejects these unilateral coercive measures in the United Nations General Assembly. Although the resolutions adopted at the proposal of the Caribbean island are not binding—documents debated in this UN body never are—they express the position of the vast majority of countries and become a universal condemnation of the blockade. The majority vote against the US blockade reaffirms that it constitutes a violation of international law and the basic principles of coexistence among nations.

Despite these pressures, Cuba has demonstrated a capacity to admirable resilience. International solidarity, socialist organization, and the creativity of the Cuban people have allowed them to maintain basic services and defend social achievements that are a source of pride for the nation.

Meanwhile, imperialist hostility also seeks to isolate Cuba internationally by pressuring governments and international organizations to sever cooperative ties. However, Cuba remains a beacon of solidarity, and, despite internal difficulties, has not relinquished its commitment to sharing its doctors and teachers with nations in need, even when attempts are made to discredit and obstruct these legitimate cooperation programs. Thus, revolutionary ethics are expressed in the defense of life and justice, in the face of the logic of imperial power.

Denouncing this aggressive policy is always necessary. It’s not enough to simply repeat slogans against the blockade; it’s essential to explain, as clearly as possible, its underlying logic, its real impact on the lives of Cubans, and its unjust nature. Meanwhile, Cuba's experience has become a beacon of perseverance for the Latin American and Caribbean region, historically subjugated by U.S. imperialism. The resilience of this small nation demonstrates that sovereignty is a principle that can be defended despite the magnitude of external challenges.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff