Al Jazeera Blames Global South for Cuba's Woes, Ignores US Chokehold
📰 THE STORY: An Al Jazeera opinion piece argues that if Cuba 'falls,' the Global South is partly to blame for not providing sufficient support, while the U.S. 'tightens the screws' through sanctions. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The U.S. instituted a full economic embargo on Cuba in 1962, following the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion which failed to overthrow the Cuban
Revolution. This blockade, tightened significantly under Trump and maintained by Biden despite campaign promises, has cost Cuba an estimated $147.8 billion over six decades, severely restricting access to food, medicine, and vital resources. Double Standard: Western media outlets, including Al Jazeera's opinion section, often frame the economic suffering in Cuba as a failure of its socialist
system or the 'lukewarm' support of its allies, while excusing or downplaying the direct, causal link to the ongoing U.S. blockade. Meanwhile, coverage of Venezuela's economic crisis often follows a similar pattern, attributing it to government mismanagement rather than the crippling U.S. sanctions imposed since 2017. Follow the Money: The U.S. blockade on Cuba benefits a specific political bloc
in Washington, primarily right-wing Cuban-American lobby groups in Florida, which collectively pour millions into political campaigns. For example, the U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC has spent over $6 million in lobbying since 2004 to maintain and strengthen sanctions, ensuring a perpetual crisis that benefits those profiting from anti-Cuba narratives. 💡 THE PATTERN: This narrative is a classic