Cuba facing the US blockade today

Interview with Ariel Dacal Díaz by Jessica Garcia

Interview with Cuban popular educator Ariel Dacal Díaz, who analyses Cuba's current situation in the face of the blockade and the impact of recent measures imposed by the current US administration on those who trade oil with Cuba.

Jessica

Good morning, Ariel. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you're doing right now?

Ariel

First of all, thank you very much for the invitation and for the opportunity to add my voice to so many others who are speaking out, denouncing, and demanding a change in imperialist policies against Cuba in particular, and imperialist policies at the regional level. My name is Ariel Dacal Díaz. I am a popular educator at the Martin Luther King Memorial Center in Havana and have dedicated my life primarily to political education, political analysis, and the organization and coordination of movements in Cuba, the network of popular educators, the Ecumenical Faith for Cuba network, part of the teams that encourage and coordinate these projects, and always with a strong sense of rebuilding the Cuban revolution project in socialist terms.

Jessica

Thank you very much, Ariel. Well, you mentioned the imperialist advance of the United States in the region, and first of all, I wanted to ask you: What is your analysis of the impact this would have specifically on Cuba and the Cuban people at this moment?

 Certainly, the situation is very difficult in a context that is also tricky, complicated, and highly explosive, which we are experiencing due to the political moment that US imperialism is going through

Ariel

Well, it's not the impact it would have, it's the impact it's already having. I won't be in Cuba for a couple of weeks, but I'm keeping up with things. I left for Cuba a couple of weeks ago, and I'll be back soon, well, when I can get back, because I just heard the news that some of the trips have been cancelled, but anyway, I'll be back. What I mean is that I've already had conversations with family and friends, and the impact is being felt. In fact, I'm feeling the impact personally, as it's difficult for me to return to the country. Because of the sanctions, airlines can't refuel in Cuba as planned, and now a series of adjustments have to be made. Some airlines are looking for solutions that will allow them to continue flying, while others are simply cancelling trips. So, the impact is direct, the impact is already on an acute crisis situation, and I think this is extremely important. The policy that is now in place, with the threat of tariffs on those who trade oil with Cuba, is like the culmination of many measures that Trump has been taking, even since his first term in office, and so I think it is important to put it in context.  In other words, this does not start now; it is now reaching a more serious, more critical, more extreme point. And the cost is evident for the life of the country. In today's world, it is impossible to conceive of living, or to think, that a country can live its daily life without consuming energy. And Cuba is a case in point. Unfortunately, we also do not have other types of energy that would allow us to make up for the shortfall. Our oil is not sufficient to meet our consumption needs. So, the situation is truly critical. It is a situation of suffocation for an organism that was already severely damaged. The Cuban social organism, the Cuban economic organism, largely because of the historical and recently intensified policies of the United States government and with the idea of putting an end once and for all to what Cuba has represented for so many years. It is certainly a major impact, an impact on a process of reform.

 It is not just another attack, it is, let's say it in metaphorical terms, a wounded beast, mortally wounded, retreating to its cave, to the territory from which it came, and it is doing so with great viciousness, with great perversity, and with great

It is also important to consider the internal perspective of a space, of a reform process that is insufficiently advanced, insufficiently articulated, and logically places the country, Cuba, at a disadvantage when it comes to facing this process. Therefore, the reform process itself, which was supposed to be accelerated in some economic structures, including some political discussions, has to slow down a little in order to deal with this situation which, I repeat, is extreme and at the same time means that many of our resources, efforts, and time must be focused on preparing militarily for a possible aggression that is also, unfortunately, on the table for debate. And, of course, further reducing Cuba's trade, because it is not only the movement of passengers, but also the movement of goods, the movement of reduced consumption, of international trade. Certainly, the situation is very difficult in a context that is also tricky, complicated, and highly explosive, which we are experiencing due to the political moment that US imperialism is going through. I think this is important. It is not just another attack, it is, let's say it in metaphorical terms, a wounded beast, mortally wounded, retreating to its cave, to the territory from which it came, and it is doing so with great viciousness, with great perversity, and with great impunity. This is important to say, as it complicates the situation, placing us in a state of great uncertainty. What will the next steps be? Uncertainty in general with an empire in retreat, and uncertainty with a president leading that empire with very fluctuating ways of acting in politics.

Jessica

Regarding what you said about the wounded beast, we already know about the intervention in Venezuela, the threats to the entire region, and the advance of militarization in the region with some of its allies such as Argentina, where it is advancing without any resistance. But what is your analysis of the region in the face of these direct attacks on Cuba, and what has been the reaction of the region, which at one time accompanied Cuba, supported Cuba, and attempted to form a regional process? At this moment, what is the position of the region in the face of a time of great need for international and regional solidarity?

This has to do with the aftermath of neoliberalism, the aftermath of depoliticization, the aftermath of the immorality that is already evident in US politics.

Ariel

This question is important because “the region” encompasses many things. There are many actors in this region. There are governments that, unfortunately, are not very friendly toward Cuba, and other governments that are more friendly, with ties of solidarity, friendship, and respect for Cuba, but which are also under siege, under pressure. I am talking about the government of Mexico, I am talking about the government of Colombia itself, I am talking about the government of Venezuela itself, even with the moment of great uncertainty that they are experiencing. It is a region that is also being attacked and attacked particularly. And it is also divided into acolytes of the empire and people who govern, who are resisting with great dignity. So, there are many manifestations of this type. And there is one element that I think is important to consider in any analysis, and that is that what is happening is a turning point. This has to do with the aftermath of neoliberalism, the aftermath of depoliticization, the aftermath of the immorality that is already evident in US politics. It is not only breaking the rules that it has long used in the international arena. Not only is it reneging on them, but immorality in politics has already reached significant extremes. And that is a fact that cannot be overlooked because there are also some governments in the region that are following in the footsteps of that immorality, in the footsteps of that contempt for anyone who does not resemble them.

And there are also organizations, international entities that have taken important steps, CELAC, ALBA-TCP. The United Nations itself has had a very, very interesting opposition. Regional groups, in short, that are at least denouncing and at least verbally expressing opposition or disagreement with this state of affairs, because the region is also made up of movements, solidarity organizations, and diverse groups from popular sectors that have, in a more solid way, minimally expressed themselves, denounced, and tried, in this sea of lies in which we navigate today on social media, to reveal other truths about what is happening in Cuba. That is why I say that the region is not something homogeneous, something abstract, but rather many processes at the same time, some favourable to denunciation, resistance, and morality, and others, of course, observers of this more just position.

Every statement, every voice that is raised, no matter how small it may seem, is necessary, but strictly speaking, it is not enough.

Jessica

You mentioned the difference between the people and the governments, and some statements, but right now there are many statements of solidarity from organizations and social movements. But considering these concrete actions, what is your analysis of the region? Or to what extent can this be enough to confront the imperial advance, where we are not seeing concrete steps or actions beyond statements and denunciations? At this moment, we wonder if this is enough in the face of the imperial advance, military intervention, and militaristic advance. What is really happening with our peoples in the face of this?

I believe that any small trace of confronting the lie, any small trace of offering another interpretation of the matter, of pushing for other demands, is welcome and helps in this cloud of so much misinformation, so much fake news, so many articulated lies, because it is not even misinformation, it is articulated lies. 

Ariel

Every statement, every voice that is raised, no matter how small it may seem, is necessary, but strictly speaking, it is not enough. It is not enough when there is no bloc position that specifies actions of a certain type of trade with Cuba, a type of resistance to the punishment imposed by the empire for trading with Cuba. In other words, we certainly do not see that. I believe that there are many more good intentions, I would call them moral pains, than concrete actions that allow for material solutions. I say material because Cuba is suffering from a material problem, but there is also a moral problem, a political problem, a problem of sovereignty, a problem of international law. So, there is certainly an imbalance, and sometimes so many statements and so few actions can be a little demobilizing, but in any case, while emphasizing and clearly agreeing with what you say, I believe that any small trace of confronting the lie, any small trace of offering another interpretation of the matter, of pushing for other demands, is welcome and helps in this cloud of so much misinformation, so much fake news, so many articulated lies, because it is not even misinformation, it is articulated lies. It's how, in a minimal way, you can start to chip away, you can start to cut away, you can start to crack the seam of that fallacy and try to let another truth seep through some cracks. The truth of the news about sovereignty, the right of a people, the right of a people that has also shown solidarity with other peoples and that certainly what happens to Cuba, although some forget it, not only has consequences for Cuba, it has consequences for that region. Cuba has carried the burden of trying to free itself from the empire for too long. It has cost us dearly, but many have also seen us as a reference point in that sense, beyond that model, for better or worse. I believe that this should also fuel the search for alternatives to pass on the light.

Jessica

And that was the point of my next question. You mentioned Cuba's solidarity with other peoples in other countries around the world, with very concrete actions in terms of medical assistance, doctors working in other countries around the world, the Latin American School of Medicine, training doctors. What has been the reception, or have there been any concrete actions, or announcements of actions, at least on the part of those countries that have been direct recipients of Cuba's international cooperation and solidarity? Have there been any reactions yet, or not?

Ariel

The reactions are very weak, far below what this moment deserves and the rigor that attention to what is happening specifically in Cuba deserves, because what is happening in the region is also indicative of what is happening elsewhere. I repeat what I was saying just now: there are demonstrations by solidarity groups, movements, coalitions, and social movements that have, of course, taken a firm stance and, in some cases, are also looking for ways to provide a little more support. But what I think we must not lose sight of is that today, more than ever, we must understand that this is a structural problem, a problem of relationships, a problem of bonds, a problem of rights, of international law, of the capacity of peoples, and above all the peoples of our region, to experience the conditions of our own sovereignty in a coordinated manner, because there is no other way than in a coordinated manner. And that is what is in danger, the very resistance of dignity, of sovereignty, of the conditions for development in our region, because on January 3 it was Venezuela, now it is Cuba. But anyone, anyone who tries to deviate from the script that the empire has designed for the region may suffer the same attacks.

Of course, there is an important point that has to do with the strength that certain countries may have from an economic and military point of view. The empire, like all perverse powers, is abusive. It also tries to show off in front of the weakest, those who do not have sufficient resources to defend their sovereignty. In Latin America, in this region, there are very solid countries that could put up a stronger fight, but now talking about countries is also an abstraction, because countries are class relations, power groups, interest groups. So, we would have to ask ourselves which groups it suits to leave this for later, not to get involved in these issues because they prefer to negotiate with the empire, and which others are interested in raising their voices, in denouncing. Therefore, I don't think that talking about regions or countries is always very accurate.

Jessica

You just mentioned power relations and the place that some states occupy in the international system, and we haven't mentioned those who, at this moment, are in some way disputing hegemony in the region, and where some analyses indicate that the United States' intention to try to control Latin America and the Caribbean has to do with disputes with China and Russia in the region. What is your analysis?

 “When elephants fight, ants suffer.”

Ariel

There is an old saying that goes something like this: “When elephants fight, ants suffer.” So, the elephants are fighting, and Cuba and several countries in the region are the ants. But there is a small difference, which is that the American elephant wants to crush us, while the other elephants are at least staying out of it. There is a difference, of course, between a country that is blockaded and besieged, because in this context, I have some lifeline. In fact, Russia has just reaffirmed that it hopes there will be no escalation with the United States over the measure to impose tariffs on countries that trade oil with Cuba, because it will continue to trade oil. I believe that this is a concrete fact, that oil will begin to arrive in Cuba, or is already arriving, because these negotiations, of course, cannot be public because the hunt is savage against any ship that goes there, which has little to do with the free market, by the way. And there have been very strong statements from the Chinese and Russian governments. Now we return to the question: what would be the specifics of those statements? How would they translate into concrete exchanges, into concrete challenges to the threats from the United States? I think that is an important element.

What seems to be true is that the United States, in this retreat to its so-called zone of influence (it is not their zone, it is the one they claim as their zone of influence, we do not belong to it).  In doing so, it has somehow brought to this area of the planet the conflicts that until now it had settled in the regions of the East and Asia, and now it is bringing them to our region, which further aggravates the situation and makes this region a concrete territory of dispute, which of course the Venezuelan people are best placed to resolve. Venezuela was exporting a significant amount of oil to China. Secretary of State Marco Rubio himself has already said, quite brazenly, that Venezuela's oil cannot fall into the hands of its opponents elsewhere. We are grateful to them for being so sincere and for allowing us to see things as they are, but the conflict is certainly great. China and Russia's relationship with Cuba have long been a strategic one, an important one. How will this translate into concrete actions? How will we receive concrete material support?

Jessica

That's the big question right now, I think. What concrete actions will be taken to sustain this exercise in solidarity?

Ariel

I think it's important to distinguish between behaviours based on solidarity and behaviours based on regional conflict strategies. I think there is a difference between what you do to support Cuba, to bring about change, and what certain governments do to occupy strategic spaces. I think it is important for our struggles, it is important to understand the context. To each their own name.

Jessica

Yes, that's why I was going to separate it in terms of governments and peoples. I wanted to focus on the actions that concern us or that we can do in terms of organizations that are part of the social movement in Latin America, the United States, the Caribbean, and the world. But going specifically to the point of the American people, so far there have been different actions of solidarity, demanding an end to the blockade. For years there have been campaigns demanding an end to the blockade, and now there are some campaigns to send concrete material aid. At this moment, what do you think would be key to do in the United States so that the American people can be clear about what actions they should take, to the extent of their possibilities, in solidarity with Cuba to continue demanding an end to the blockade?

I believe that: 1) denounce, break down communication barriers. 2) Take advantage of all legislative spaces that can be used to raise awareness of the bulk of the legislation that has been stalking Cuba for a very long time. I believe that is what is important. 3) Mobilize, mobilize in favour of Cuba with acts of material solidarity, in whatever way possible and however possible.

Ariel

Essentially, I believe it is an act of denunciation, trying to break down all the communication barriers that exist and all the communication blockades that exist regarding the vision of Cuba, what is happening in Cuba. I believe that is fundamental. They have been doing it for a long time, but now it is much more necessary. We must realize that Cuba is a sample of what is happening in the region, but also of what is happening within the United States. It is also an act of solidarity with Cuba to confront the emperor within the Republic. We are confronting the head of the empire, but you are confronting the emperor in the Republic who is governing the Republic. So I believe that an important element, even though it may seem very distant, even though it may seem very abstract to some, is that the struggle of the American people is part of the struggle of the Cuban people, it is part of the struggle of the peoples of the region, and how, from that struggle, they also provide a tremendous service to the resistance in Cuba, the resistance in Venezuela, the resistance of movements and organizations throughout Latin America. I believe that: 1) denounce, break down communication barriers. 2) Take advantage of all legislative spaces that can be used to raise awareness of the bulk of the legislation that has been stalking Cuba for a very long time. I believe that is what is important. 3) Mobilize, mobilize in favour of Cuba with acts of material solidarity, in whatever way possible and however possible. And vice versa, that is, try to send Cuba all possible signals that Cuba is not alone, that there are sensitive and good people in the United States who are committed to the essence of our struggles and support the people of Cuba. I think that would be it, to continue doing what they have been doing for so long, now with a little more urgency.