‘Nuestra América’ Convoy and the need for a working-class mobilisation to defend Cuba

Cuba is currently on the brink of a humanitarian crisis as a result of the oil embargo imposed by the United States and its imperialist campaign of threats and attacks against Latin America. The US is aiming to regain its dominance over the region and oust its economic and political rivals: Russia and China.

[Originally published in Spanish at marxismo.mx]

This energy blockade is the continuation of the attacks the US has been carrying out against Cuba for 67 years. Before the victory of the revolution in 1959, Cuba was a prize for the imperialists to plunder; the Cuban Revolution succeeded in expropriating the island’s capitalists and landowners, implementing a planned economy that brought about improvements in the living conditions and level of development of the Cuban people.

This long series of sanctions has had no other purpose than to paralyse the country’s economy and completely suffocate the Cuban people, plunging them into a humanitarian crisis in order to destabilise Cuba, force the government into negotiations that align with US interests, dismantle the achievements of the Cuban Revolution and restore capitalism on the island.

Cities and towns across Cuba have been hit by power cuts (as a large proportion of electricity generation relies on oil), which have had a severe impact on the daily lives of the Cuban people. They have affected their ability to cook and preserve food, transport goods, or access public healthcare services in hospitals. At the same time, Cuba relies heavily on tourism, and the lack of aviation fuel has had a direct impact on the economy of this small Caribbean island. This fact demonstrates once again that it is the working class that pays the price of imperialist war with hunger and misery. In this context, class solidarity is required.

A campaign has recently been launched to collect food supplies to be sent to Cuba via the ‘Nuestra América’ Convoy. The convoy set sail from the ports of Progreso, Yucatán and Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, from 19-20 March. It is bound for Havana to transport tonnes of food, essential medicines, hygiene products and solar panels for basic energy infrastructure. The Partido Comunista Revolucionario expresses its support for the ‘Nuestra América’ Convoy, and condemns any attempt by US imperialism to intercept the vessels.

Our branches in Yucatán and Quintana Roo have joined the efforts to collect supplies, guided by the principle of international class solidarity. Solidarity must be linked to a revolutionary programme capable of explaining the root causes of the crisis, exposing those responsible, and setting out a political programme capable of transforming the situation. Just as it is the working class that pays for the capitalists’ crisis, it is also solely the organised working class that can come to the defence of our brothers and sisters in Cuba. The very same forces that are blockading Cuba at this moment are issuing threats against Mexico under the pretext of combatting drug trafficking.

Alongside securing material aid to reach Cuba, it is of the utmost importance to take political action. This includes distributing leaflets at collection points, holding rallies and talks in schools and workplaces to call for support for the convoy, and to raise public awareness of the real situation in Cuba, whilst strengthening the organisation of workers. We must also agitate to ensure that the idea of Mexico sending oil to Cuba takes root in public opinion, so that social pressure can counterbalance that of the imperialists and force the government to take this step.

In the face of the US-imposed blockade, we have seen the Mexican government yield to imperialist pressure by halting oil shipments to Cuba, an act of total subordination to US interests. The rhetoric of defending national sovereignty that the ‘Fourth Transformation’ boasts about rings hollow in the face of these facts. This government is bowing to pressure from big business, both domestic and imperialist.

We therefore reiterate that we can only rely on class unity. It is we, the workers, who – by bringing production to a halt through actions such as a general strike and organising mass demonstrations in the streets – can demand that our government lift the blockade and send oil to Cuba immediately. Without energy, the island will not be able to survive. Let us demand that oil be sent now!

Humanitarian initiatives such as the delivery of food supplies via the ‘Nuestra América’ Convoy are essential, as they demonstrate the solidarity of the people in Mexico and internationally with our brothers and sisters in Cuba and their support for their revolution. They will provide immediate relief to meet the basic needs of the population in crisis. However, our efforts must not be limited to sending supplies, as these will eventually run out and the imperialist attacks on Cuba will continue. We must channel our solidarity into a class-based organisation that demands the Mexican government immediately restore oil supplies to Cuba; the only way to achieve this is through a mass movement of the Mexican people, their trade unions and mass organisations, their youth and their peasantry.

As communists, our position is clear: to defend the Cuban Revolution is to defend the right of peoples to self-determination. Only the international working class can fight for a way out of the crisis for Cuba and the peoples of the world. The fate of the Cuban Revolution depends on the spread of the socialist revolution throughout Latin America.

• Down with the imperialist blockade!
• We demand that the Sheinbaum government send oil to Cuba now!
• Hands off the ‘Nuestra América’ Convoy! For the mass mobilisation of the working class in the event of attacks!
• Hands off Cuba and Latin America!