Against the Stream: Cuba Under Siege — How to Defend the Revolution

Against The Stream · 2026-02-19

Core Argument

The central thesis of this episode is that the Cuban Revolution faces its most serious existential threat in decades, not primarily because of Cuba's internal weaknesses, but because American imperialism has identified a strategic opportunity to finally strangle the revolution after nearly 70 years of trying. The immediate trigger is the oil blockade — following the US-backed kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro and the cutting of Venezuelan oil supplies, followed by US pressure forcing Mexico to halt its oil shipments. But the deeper claim is that this offensive is part of a broader imperialist strategy of "re-hemispherisation" — the US reasserting total control over the Western Hemisphere by eliminating any alternative poles of power or example.

The episode argues that Cuba's survival has always depended on international solidarity and alliance with other revolutionary or anti-imperialist forces — first the Soviet Union, then Venezuela. With both lifelines severed, and with the so-called progressive governments of Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil) refusing to materially support Cuba, the revolution is being forced into a corner. The argument is that the only genuine salvation for Cuba lies not in appeals to China, Russia, or the BRICS — which are capitalist powers with their own geopolitical interests — but in a renewed international revolutionary movement of workers and the poor. The fate of the Cuban Revolution, the episode insists, will be decided on the arena of the class struggle internationally.

A secondary but crucial argument concerns the internal dynamics of Cuba itself. The episode contends that the Cuban leadership's turn towards market reforms, private enterprise, and concessions to capitalism — particularly since 2021 — has undermined the revolution from within, creating inequality, eroding the social gains of the revolution, and weakening the popular will to defend the existing socioeconomic order. This is not presented as a moral failing of individuals but as a structural consequence of isolation and the absence of workers' democracy.

Theoretical Grounding

The analysis draws on several key Marxist concepts and debates:

The impossibility of socialism in one country, especially a small one. This is the episode's most theoretically significant claim. The argument is that Cuba's achievements — the abolition of capitalism, the dramatic improvements in literacy, healthcare, life expectancy — were real and demonstrate the superiority of planned economy over capitalism. But these achievements were only possible during periods when Cuba was linked to a broader bloc (the Soviet Union, then Venezuela). The episode explicitly states that "socialism can only be established on the basis of the most advanced productive means and techniques" and that "you cannot build socialism in one country, never mind in a small Caribbean island 90 miles away from the United States." This positions the episode within the Trotskyist tradition of permanent revolution, as opposed to Stalinist "socialism in one country."

The distinction between the abolition of capitalism and the construction of socialism. The episode makes a careful distinction: Cuba abolished capitalism, which was a necessary precondition, but this is not the same as socialism. Socialism requires workers' democracy, the direct participation of the working class in planning and production, and integration into an international planned economy. Cuba had the former (abolition of capitalism) but not the latter (socialist democracy), which created the conditions for bureaucratisation and, eventually, the turn towards market reforms.

The critique of bureaucratic planning without workers' control. The episode draws on the Marxist tradition of council communism and workers' democracy to critique the Soviet model that Cuba adopted. The example of building bridges that went nowhere because the plan mandated a certain tonnage of steel but didn't connect them is used to illustrate how planning without democratic input from below leads to waste and mismanagement. This is a classic Marxist critique of state capitalism or bureaucratic collectivism.

Imperialism and the nature of the blockade. The episode grounds the US blockade in the logic of imperialism as analysed by Lenin and others. The 1960 Mallory memorandum is cited as explicit evidence that the blockade's purpose is to "bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of the government" — a textbook example of imperialist coercion. The extraterritorial nature of the blockade (fining European banks, threatening tariffs on Mexico) demonstrates the global reach of US imperial power.

The critique of reformism and progressive capitalism. The episode is sharply critical of the idea that "progressive" capitalist governments (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil) or capitalist powers (China, Russia) can be genuine allies of the Cuban Revolution. This reflects the RCI's settled position that only revolutionary internationalism, not appeals to "anti-imperialist" bourgeois states, can save the revolution.

Conjunctural Relevance

The episode is highly specific about the current moment, which gives it significant conjunctural weight:

The oil blockade as a weapon of mass starvation. The episode provides concrete data: Cuba depends on imports for 60-70% of its energy needs. The last Venezuelan oil shipment arrived in mid-December 2024; the last Mexican shipment on 9 January 2025. The Financial Times reported on 30 January that Cuba had fuel for only 15-20 days. Diplomatic sources cited suggest a complete halt to normal societal functioning by mid-March 2025. The consequences are already visible: 16-20 hour daily electricity blackouts, cancellation of non-urgent surgery, haemodialysis patients living in hospitals because transport cannot be guaranteed, collapse of public transportation, and the end of tourism from Russia and Canada due to lack of aviation fuel.

The US National Security Strategy and "re-hemispherisation." The episode connects the Cuba offensive to a broader strategic document that prioritises US control over the Western Hemisphere, kicking out all rival powers. This is not just about Cuba — it's about reasserting US hegemony in its traditional sphere of influence after decades of relative decline and distraction in the Middle East and Asia.

The Venezuela model. The episode argues that the US is attempting to replicate its Venezuela strategy — maximum economic pressure combined with the hope of internal regime collapse — but notes that Iran is a very different proposition, with significant military capabilities including the ability to close the Strait of Hormuz.

The failure of the "progressive" Latin American governments. The episode names names: Mexico protested but stopped oil shipments. Colombia could send oil but hasn't. Brazil could send oil but hasn't. The BRICS have made statements but no material intervention. This is presented as evidence that bourgeois nationalist governments, even those with rhetorical anti-imperialism, will not sacrifice their own interests for Cuba.

The internal crisis of the Cuban model. The episode notes that one third of Cuban workers now work in the private sector. Market reforms since 2021 have created massive inequality, with those receiving remittances from the US or involved in private businesses able to access goods that state workers cannot. This is undermining the social base of the revolution.

Where the Argument Continues

The episode deliberately leaves several threads open for future development:

The nature of the Soviet Union and its relationship with Cuba. The episode mentions but does not fully develop the critique of the Soviet Union's "peaceful coexistence" policy, its suppression of revolutionary internationalism, and the economic distortions it imposed on Cuba (specialising in sugar rather than industrialisation). This is explicitly flagged as something dealt with in other episodes.

The question of Che Guevara's strategy of exporting revolution. The episode notes that Che's methods were "mistaken" but does not elaborate on why, or what the correct strategy for international revolution would be. This is left for future discussion.

The Iran situation. The episode provides extensive detail on the US military buildup around Iran — two carrier strike groups, electronic warfare planes, weeks-long war scenarios — but does not resolve the analysis. It notes that the US is "drunk with victory" from Venezuela and may miscalculate, but leaves the outcome open.

The question of workers' democracy and the alternative to bureaucratic planning. The episode critiques the Soviet/Cuban model but does not fully develop what a genuinely democratic planned economy would look like, though it gestures towards it in the final segment on incentives under socialism.

These threads are likely developed in other Against the Stream episodes and in the broader RCI corpus, including The Spectre of Communism.

Connections

Within the RCI corpus: The episode references Jorge Martin's written article on the history of the Cuban Revolution (to be linked in the show notes). It also references a call from the Cuban revolutionary publication La Tizza for international solidarity. The discussion of the Soviet Union's role and the critique of "peaceful coexistence" connects to other episodes on Stalinism and the degeneration of the Russian Revolution.

Broader Marxist texts: The Mallory memorandum (1960) is a key primary source that should be read alongside this episode. The analysis of the blockade as a weapon of starvation connects to Lenin's Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism and to Trotsky's writings on permanent revolution. The critique of bureaucratic planning without workers' democracy connects to the tradition of council communism (Pannekoek, Mattick) and to the Yugoslav experience of workers' self-management.

Contemporary analysis: The episode's treatment of the BRICS as a capitalist alliance with no revolutionary content connects to broader Marxist debates about the nature of multipolarity and whether it represents a genuine challenge to US hegemony or merely a reconfiguration of capitalist competition.

Key Quotes

1. On the purpose of the blockade (quoting the Mallory memorandum):

   "The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and disaffection based on economic dissatisfaction and hardship... We must use every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba... to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of the government."

2. On why the US fears Cuba:

   "The only reason that the United States is so afraid of Cuba and has been so intent in overthrowing the Cuban revolution for nearly 70 years is because of this. Because Cuba abolished capitalism."

3. On the impossibility of socialism in one country:

   "You cannot build socialism in one country, never mind in a small Caribbean island 90 miles away from the United States... The only times in which the Cuban Revolution has been in a better place has been when it's had other allies outside."

4. On the internal erosion of the revolution:

   "The pro-capitalist, pro-market measures that the Cuban leadership has started taking, particularly in recent years... has created massive inequality... And this is undermining the support for the Cuban revolution amongst the population because it is no longer delivering in the same way."

5. On the only genuine path of salvation:

   "The fate of the Cuban Revolution will be decided on the arena of the class struggle internationally... The only people who have our interests at heart or the same interests as us are the workers and poor everywhere else."