In his national address on July 19, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega stated that when the country’s next elections take place, none who promoted a violent anti-government insurrection in 2018 will be allowed to stand for office. Western media outlets reported this as a total ban on voting. Ortega in 2025 -- image via video screenshot on X By John Perry, Common Dreams July 19 is a key date in Nicaragua’s calendar—the anniversary of the victory of its Sandinista revolution in

On the mention of the Germany-Cuba Friendship Association in Rubio’s anti-Cuban “report” By Thomas Tews This Monday, the U.S. State Department, led by Marco Rubio, released a 100-page “report” titled “Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism.” It is divided into nine chapters: “The Revolutionary State,” “Birth of a New Left,” “Exporting Revolution,” “An Espionage Empire,” “Revolutionary Tourism,” “Racial Revolution,” “Front Groups and Fellow Travelers,” “Anti-American Inte

Critics panned the publication for not only its warmongering but also “unfounded claims seeking to tar domestic movements for social change as agents of a foreign government.” Rubio, May 22, 2026 -- public domain image By Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams While some Republicans in Congress cheered the US Department of State’s Monday report titled “Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism,” American and Cuban critics blasted it as part of both President Donald Trump’s push to

Representatives Delia Ramirez, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, and Jonathan Jackson held a press conference to demand an end to the U.S. blockade against Cuba, calling the policy inexcusable and cruel. Image via the Embajada de Cuba en Estados Unidos on Facebook On June 30, 2026, four members of the U.S. House of Representatives—Delia Ramirez, Pramila Jayapal, Jonathan Jackson, and Ro Khanna—gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol to speak out against the longstanding U.S. blockade

In Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, both parties agree with the assumption that Washington has the right to shape the political future of other nations. Daniel Ortega, Nicolas Maduro, and Miguel Diaz-Canel By Roger D. Harris & John Perry, Common Dreams Donald Trump’s second term has precipitated a tsunami of criticism from Democrats over his foreign policy. Yet when it comes to Washington’s efforts to dominate Latin America and the Caribbean, the substantive dispute—if there i

Via the Communist Party of Cuba, translated from the Spanish Havana, June 11, 2026 -- On Thursday morning, a virtual meeting was held at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in which 46 representatives of 29 leftist and progressive political parties and movements in Europe participated. The meeting was chaired by member of the Central Committee and head of its Department of International Relations, Emilio Lozada García, who, following

The Trump Administration as the Latest Stage of 128 Years of US Imperialism toward Cuba By Thomas Tews At a meeting of US President Trump’s cabinet on May 27, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated: Cuba’s in a lot of trouble because, unfortunately for them, it’s run by a bunch of incompetent communists. [...] It’s 90 miles from our shores, and having a failed state 90 miles from our shores is a threat to the national security of the United States. Cuba—a country strangl

Rubio on May 5, 2026 -- public domain image By Daniela López Ferreiro, translated from the Spanish Secretary of State Marco Rubio doesn't speak to the Cuban people: he speaks about the Cuban people. His message on May 20, presented as an offer of help and an explanation of the Cuban crisis, is in reality a carefully constructed piece of political manipulation. The Florida hawk takes real issues, strips them of context, exaggerates certain facts, hides others, and boils Cuba’s

Communists of Catalonia Raul Castro on May Day 2024 Communists of Catalonia in defence of the Cuban Revolution and Raúl Castro Yesterday, American imperialism levelled a whole series of far-fetched accusations against former Cuban President Raúl Castro, accusing him of events that took place in 1996, at a time when the country was defending itself against the actions of terrorist groups linked to the US government and to the Miami mafia. In a shameful intervention, Secretary

The Left Chapter's editor Michael Laxer talks about how now, more than ever, the Cuban people and the Cuban Revolution need our solidarity in the face of the increasingly unhinged and disturbing steps towards military attack being taken by the Trump administration that led to the bogus indictment of Raul Castro on May 20. Cuba has always stood in solidarity with the rest of the world. Now the world needs to step up to defend Cuba.

“Like any country, Cuba has the right to defend itself against external aggression,” said the Cuban embassy. “It is called self-defense, and it is protected by International Law and the UN Charter.” Marco Rubio on May 6, 2026 -- public domain image By Julia Conley, Common Dreams Cuban officials said the Trump administration is making “increasingly implausible accusations” against the country as it pushes to justify, “without any excuse, a military attack against Cuba,” after

The Executive Order of May 1st and the Blockade Measures Announced Today Further Increase the Harm to the Cuban Population and Reinforce the Threat of Aggression Communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, translated from the Spanish The Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects, in the strongest possible terms, the Executive Order issued by the White House on May 1st, 2026, which tightens, to unprecedented and extreme levels, the economic, commerc

Why Cuba is so special is all the little things they don't even know are special. To this people, everyone is always entitled to full human dignity. Cubans rally in defense of the Revolution, April 2 -- image via Granma on Facebook By Macdonald Stainsby Getting off the plane in late February to arrive in la Habana was an exercise in apprehension. The American attempt to completely choke and starve the country of Cuba had just been given its greatest assist by the Carney gover

Image via the PCC By Nuvpreet Kalra, Common Dreams “ Cuban eye doctors in Jamaica are the only reason why my grandmother didn’t go fully blind in one eye after she got a botched surgery. The work they’ve done for rural and poor Jamaicans is immeasurable, ” wrote a Twitter user last week after the first set of Cuban doctors and nurses left Jamaica. Two weeks ago, hundreds of Jamaicans marched in a “gratitude walk” to thank Cuba for the 50 years of medical solidarity that th

The Left Chapter's editor Michael Laxer looks at how Trump's tantrums tell an April Fool's Day tale that says things are obviously going very badly in the war on Iran for both the United States and Israel.

Fidel Castro with Elián González, July 14, 2011, Cárdenas, Cuba -- image via X By Macdonald Stainsby There are so many things about Fidel Castro that jump to mind. For me? The aspect that stands out more than his incredible charisma, the successes of the revolution in medicine and education, or even the battles won in the Bay of Pigs or Southern Africa? His skill and ability to see where a particular political struggle was going to go into the future, and what the long term w

The Left Chapter's editor Michael Laxer discusses how it is impossible to oppose US and western imperialism, adventurism and militarism without also opposing NATO both at home and abroad.

The Left Chapter's editor Michael Laxer looks at the US and Israeli war on Iran (which they are losing), the necessity of international solidarity with the Cuban Revolution and the NDP's "leadership" race in Canada.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez tours the Socialist Commune "El Maizal", March 6, 2026 -- image via the Presidential Press By Yader Lanuza Since Hugo Chavez came to power in 1999, the US has attacked the Bolivarian Revolution in multiple ways, including through propaganda that categorize it as “authoritarian,” “unfree,” and “undemocratic.” This US propaganda assault is intended to dictate what should be done in Venezuela, including a return to “democracy,” with “free” a

US aggression against Cuba is part of its inflammatory policy across the globe: Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus 18 March 2026, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia The Trump administration’s policy of causing energy suffocation of Cuba has criminal and inhumane consequences for the Cuban people, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the sick and children. This plan constitutes an escalation of the 65-year-old trade, economic, and financial blockade imposed by th