The working class in Cuba, already struggling under the failure of an economy based on partnering with other capitalists countries, is coming under vicious attack from the Trump bosses cut off of all oil imports. Power is severely rationed as is gas. Unless something changes, oil will run out in days. Meaning no power, no phones, hospitals revert to barbaric conditions, and no refrigeration for food.

The Trump fascists have threatened tariffs against any country that sends oil to Cuba, As a result all oil shipments have been halted. Cuba requires approximately 100,000 barrels of oil a day, most of it came from Venezuela. Since the Trump deal with the Venezuelan ruling class to give U.S. bosses control of Venezulan oil that source is gone. The Trump bosses also threatened tariffs against any country sending oil to Cuba, effectively shutting down all oil imports, in an attempt to force the Cuban government out or to cut a deal with Trump.

Cuban Socialism historically built an education and healthcare system that was among the best in the world at serving the needs of the majority of the working class. At the same time the Cuban ruling class relied on partnerships with capitalism around the world. Most notably through building an economy based on a separate tourist economy that celebrated inequality and encouraged corruption and exploitation. 

COVID effectively shutdown tourism and with it the influx of foreign money. A second important source of foreign money was lost when Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia shut down the programs that paid Cuba to send doctors to them. The working class has borne the brunt of the ensuing crisis. Inflation has been over 30% a year since the pandemic and the Cuban peso has lost 88% of its value. Which makes the purchase of even necessities extremely difficult (Cuba’s national Office of Statistics ad Information).

Now the brutal cut off of oil brings more pain for the working class. Enough is enough! The Cuban working class after courageously overthrowing the U.S. backed dictator Bautista over 60 years ago, has been left at the mercy of U.S. imperialism by the Castro’s and the Cuban ruling class building a society reliant on capitalism instead of a society that puts the working class in power communism. The working class must never make that mistake again.