By Lyn Neeley
February 24, 2026

Speakers at Portland’s Feb. 21 Cuba education program outlined the impact of the recent U.S. oil blockade of Cuba, and explained how Cuba and the rest of the world are resisting and cooperating to help Cuba survive. The points they made are summarized here:

Cuba has an exceptional history of providing medical and military aid to countries in the Global South. U.S. hostility towards Cuba is even more severe than towards most other countries due in large part to the extensive aid Cuba has provided to developing countries. Speakers stressed the importance and optimism of internationalism, bedrock ideas in Cuba.

Since the Cuban Revolution seized power at the beginning of 1959, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro encouraged the development of science in general and the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Malaria and yellow fever are not problems in Cuba because of its robust public health and mosquito eradication campaigns. Cuba’s experience with creating vaccines and medicines enabled the socialist country to quickly produce five original vaccines when Covid-19 hit.

Cuba’s Covid vaccines have provided over 98% protection against severe illness and death from this virus. They are stable at temperatures above 86 degrees so they can be exported for use in developing countries where finding refrigeration is a problem.

Several countries have continued to support Cuba since the U.S. escalated its oil blockade. On Feb. 8, Mexico sent Cuba two ships carrying more than 800 tons of solid food and over 277 tons of powdered milk.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has offered to establish an air bridge to allow planes flying from third countries to Cuba to refuel in Mexico. This offer came after the U.S. blockade made it impossible for the Cuban airports to guarantee refueling for planes landing at them.

Chinese financing has been key in helping Cuba gain independence from Western fossil fuels. China’s exports of solar panels to Cuba have increased solar panels’ share of the island’s energy generation from 6% up to 38% in one year.

China also sent a whole fleet of electric buses and other vehicles, along with wind turbines. China has helped Cuba set up four wind farms, with a fifth under way. It has helped construct 32 solar parks, with the goal of installing 92 solar parks by 2028. Additionally, China will provide solar kits for individual households which will also significantly boost solar energy generation.

Speakers underlined that the U.S. empire is crumbling and imperialism is in a steep decline. Meanwhile, internationalism is growing globally.

The U.S. effort to isolate Cuba and to divide and demoralize countries in the Global South is hitting a brick wall. That wall is the power of a people united.

Internationalism, as practiced by Cuban socialism, is the opposite of fascism. Fascism is colonial terror turned inwards. Internationalism is a sense of family and solidarity turned outwards.