Cuba

Let's not beat around the bush; Trump has literally gone off the rails.

This reckless man has, right before everyone's eyes, pushed the entire world into what is essentially a dystopia.

Whatever the interests of the "digital dictator" wannabes fueled by the techno-fascism behind him may be, we can see that he has set his sights on establishing a new global system, regardless of the cost. He doesn't care about the price.

Now, Cuba is in his crosshairs.

We have been following the developments with heavy hearts for some time.

To outline the issue in general terms:

When he took office in 2025, he canceled the Biden administration's decision to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and placed the country back on that list. This was not merely a symbolic move. It was a step that directly jeopardized Cuba's international financial connections and credibility.

The "restricted list" that expanded sanctions was put back into effect.

Trump reinstated the "restricted list" policy that Biden had lifted. This list included military-affiliated companies and numerous tourism and service businesses, effectively preventing U.S. citizens from doing business with these entities.

He introduced new sanctions targeting the oil and energy supply chain.

By declaring a national emergency in early 2026, he gained the authority to impose additional customs duties on countries providing oil or energy to Cuba. With this decision, he increased the threat of sanctions against countries supplying fuel to Cuba; he paved the way for stopping the flow of oil by pressuring countries like Mexico.

As a result, serious socio-economic consequences emerged across Cuba, such as fuel shortages, power outages, and the cancellation of flights. This approach to sanctions went beyond the classic embargo, turning into a strategy that imposes economic costs even on third countries.

Restrictions on money transfers and travel were also introduced. Under policies that began in 2017, U.S.-Cuba travel was severely limited. Specifically, the "people-to-people" travel category was abolished, tourist visits were curtailed, and U.S. tourists were prohibited from staying in state-owned hotels in Cuba. Restrictions on Cuban immigrants sending money to their families were increased.

These measures were economic pressure tools directly targeting both tourism and household incomes.

With the activation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, the way was cleared for foreign companies linked to former American properties nationalized in Cuba to be sued in U.S. courts. This was a serious deterrent weapon even for firms outside of America.

Trump also extended the duration of the embargo; that is, he maintained the U.S. economic siege regime against Cuba and strengthened its legal basis.

As a result of these sanctions:

The fuel crisis in Cuba has deepened.

Energy outages and disruptions in basic services have begun.

Flights have been canceled or delayed at airports due to a lack of fuel.

International firms and third countries have stopped or reduced oil supplies.

That is the picture...

There is no point in softening the issue or hiding what is happening behind diplomatic jargon. The economic siege that America has maintained against Cuba for decades is not just a sanction; it is, in the literal sense of the word, a ruthless blockade. It is a practice of political tyranny that produces inhumane results.

It is that clear.

Let us flip through the pages of recent history and refresh our memory.

This policy was first implemented in the 1960s, during the harshest days of the Cold War. It was turned into an official embargo by the president of the time, John F. Kennedy, in 1962. The Cold War ended, the Berlin Wall fell, the Soviets collapsed; but the economic shackles on Cuba remained in place.

We know that America has a quarrel with the system governing Cuba, with that system's ideology, and with its leaders. However, by what law can punishing an entire people be explained, and what conscience can it fit into?

Marketing the distress in the hospitals of a country that has restricted access to the financial system and constantly faces obstacles in procuring medicine and medical equipment as "pressure on the regime"...

Making human life an element of this bargaining...

America has stubbornly refused to abandon this policy, which is condemned by an overwhelming majority at the UN General Assembly almost every year.

However, there is also a turning point in this story.

During the Barack Obama era, diplomatic relations with Havana had been re-established, embassies had been opened, and a thaw, however limited, had begun between the two countries. The contact established with Raúl Castro, who governed Cuba, had brought a spring-like atmosphere to the Caribbean.

Unfortunately, it did not last long. When the administration in Washington changed, Trump made a sharp turn back to the policy of blockade. When he took office, he raised the flag of brute force, economic coercion, and a "you are either with me or against me" mentality, not only in domestic policy but also in foreign policy.

One would have to be blind not to see that it is not Cuban politicians, but ordinary people, who pay the price for these decisions.

Let's sit straight and speak straight: This foreign policy practice of Trump is not just a singular Cuba issue.

In short; economic sanctions have ceased to be a secondary tool of foreign policy and have become a form of war itself.

How so?

Restricting bank transfers instead of tanks, artillery, and rifles; suspending SWIFT codes instead of missiles; implementing an embargo instead of an invasion, and pushing the targeted country into the clutches of poverty...

This method can be legitimized more easily because it is portrayed as "cleaner" compared to the military option. Yet, its consequences are just as devastating as a conventional war.

During the Trump era, we are witnessing the most ruthless face of savage imperialism.

Because there is not just a "protecting interests" reflex here; there is a clear display of power, a challenge, and a will to bring others into line. It is an approach that ignores the multilateral mechanisms of international law and threatens even allies with secondary sanctions.

The Cuba example is the longest-running and most naked version of this policy. The island nation has been under economic siege for over half a century.

The U.S. threatens not only its own companies but also the companies of third countries with sanctions if they do business with Cuba. This means effectively holding international trade law hostage.

How legitimate can it be for a global power to impose its own domestic law on the rest of the world?

Someone might come out and list Cuba's internal issues, the inefficiencies of its economic model, and the problems regarding political freedoms. As Orhan Veli said: "Forget these, my dear, forget these..."

History has shown us many times that external pressures do not solve internal problems; they often lead to hardening and isolation. Thinking that you can democratize a country by cornering it is a great delusion.

Let's get to the crux of the matter: Is America really achieving results with this method?

The Cuban regime remains in place.

The government in Venezuela was not overthrown.

Iran has not completely lost its regional influence.

What is left then?

Impoverished peoples, polarized societies, and deepening distrust in the international system.

Imperialism no longer advances with the sound of tank treads, but with the cold screens of financial centers. The Trump era has made this reality more visible.

What is savage is not just the tools used; it is that human life can be written off so easily.

The blockade applied to Cuba is punishing a people, not a regime.

The longer the world remains silent about this, the more the word "sanction" will take on an inhumane meaning.

Period.