https://themilitant.com/2019/10/26/us-rulers-step-up-economic-war-against-cuban-revolution/
US rulers step up economic war against Cuban Revolution
??By Seth Galinsky
Vol. 83/No. 40
November 4, 2019
The U.S. government announced new measures Oct. 18 that step up its
nearly 60-year-long economic war on the Cuban Revolution.
Elliot Abrams, U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, told Reuters Oct. 9,
???We???re always looking to ways to squeeze [Cuba] because we do not see
any improvement in their conduct either with respect to Venezuela or
human rights internally.???
Washington???s goal is to undermine the Cuban Revolution. The U.S. rulers
??? Democrats and Republicans alike ??? fear the example of the revolution,
which proved that working people can take power out of the hands of the
capitalist class and organize society in their own interests.
In April, the Donald Trump administration announced it would allow Title
III of the Helms-Burton Act, passed during the Bill Clinton
administration, to go into effect. This provision had been suspended
ever since it was passed. The administration???s move opened the door to
lawsuits by Cuban Americans demanding compensation from those they claim
are profiting from property or businesses that were nationalized during
the revolution.
Eighteen lawsuits have been filed since, including one by Jos?? Ram??n
L??pez Regueiro, son of the former owner of Havana???s international
airport. He sued American Airlines and Chile???s Latam Airlines Group
demanding $3 billion.
In June the Donald Trump administration restored some restrictions on
travel to Cuba that had been loosened by the Barack Obama administration
in 2016. This includes banning ???people to people??? trips and barring all
stops in Cuba by cruise ships, private yachts and fishing vessels,
cutting tourism hard cash income.
In September the State Department put Cuban leader Ra??l Castro and his
four children on a list banning their travel to the United States.
Washington???s new measures in October included barring Cuba from
importing anything with more than 10% U.S.-origin content, a change from
the previous ceiling of 25%. It also bans leasing planes from U.S.
companies.
Washington targets Cuba???s oil supply
A key target for Washington is Cuba???s oil supply, especially from
Venezuela. In April sanctions were expanded to include oil-shipping
companies and their vessels. In July, Cubametales, the country???s oil
import-export company, was sanctioned. Venezuela has tried to continue
shipping using its own tankers, but the economic crisis and U.S.
economic sabotage there places this in jeopardy.
Cuban President Miguel D??az-Canel went on television to explain the
effects of these attacks, saying September would be rough. To save fuel,
air conditioning was cut off in government buildings. Public transit was
slashed, cutting passengers from 1.1 million a day in Havana almost in half.
Oxen were pressed into service in agriculture to cut use of tractors.
Steel and cement plants reduced production. At times lines of cars
snaked around the block as people waited to fill up their gas tanks.
Public workers with government cars organized to pick up passengers at
bus stops. Many individual workers did the same, a quality that marks
the Cuban Revolution.
More oil shipments arrived in October, easing the fuel shortage. But the
U.S. administration has no intention of relenting. On Sept. 10 Trump
fired National Security Adviser John Bolton, who he saw as an obstacle
to cutting back U.S. involvement in ???endless wars??? around the world. But
two days later he tweeted, ???My views on Venezuela, and especially Cuba,
were far stronger than those of John Bolton. He was holding me back!???
???Working people should demand the U.S. government end all its assaults
on the peoples of Venezuela and Cuba,??? James Harris, Socialist Workers
Party candidate for delegate to U.S. Congress, said Oct. 19. ???In 1959
workers and farmers in Cuba overthrew U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio
Batista, took control of their own destiny and stood tall in support of
struggles by workers worldwide. The Cuban Revolution is an example for
workers here and elsewhere to emulate!???
Related Articles
Fidel: UN support for US attack on Iraq is ???shameful day???
The Spanish edition of U.S. Hands off the Mideast! Cuba Speaks Out at
the United Nations by Fidel Castro and Ricardo Alarc??n, is one of
Pathfinder???s Books of the Month for November. This excerpt is from a
1990 speech by???
In This Issue
Front Page Articles ???Support strikers at GM, Mack Truck, Asarco mines
???Strikers: ???All Mack Truck cares about is profits???
???Liberals drive to oust Trump built on fear of working class
???Militant, books drive advances solidarity with union battles
???Mass protests in Lebanon unite toilers in fight to bring down gov???t
???Oberlin appeals court victory by bakery in college???s smear campaign
???32,500 Chicago teachers, school workers strike for new contract
Feature Articles ???Support labor struggles, vote SWP!
Also In This Issue ???US rulers step up economic war against Cuban Revolution
???Catalonia protests hit jailing of independence leaders
???Socialist Workers Party says workers need our own party
???Protest anti-Semitic attack on German synagogue
???UK rulers seek to get around 2016 vote to get out of EU
???Anti-labor outfit attacks autoworker, miner strikes
???Youth, unions protest government attacks in Chile
???Fall Campaign to sell Militant subscriptions and books Oct. 5 - Dec. 10
(Week 2)
???Socialist Workers Party Fund Drive Oct. 5 - Dec. 10 (Week 2)
Books of the Month ???Fidel: UN support for US attack on Iraq is ???shameful
day???
25, 50 and 75 years ago
Corrections
?? Copyright 2019 The Militant?? -?? 306 W. 37th Street, 13th floor -?? New
York, NY 10018?? -?? themilitant@xxxxxxx
Cookies
This site uses cookies to improve your experience. Learn more.
Okay, thank
--
---
Albert Einstein
???Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth.???
??? Albert Einstein
