Sheinbaum-Trump Call: The Silence on Cuba Speaks Volumes
📰 THE STORY: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reportedly had a 'cordial' conversation with Donald Trump, focusing on trade and security ahead of a review of the North American free trade deal. Notably, Sheinbaum stated that Cuba was not discussed. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The omission of Cuba in high-level US-Mexico discussions is not an oversight but a deep-seated
legacy of US foreign policy in Latin America, particularly its long-standing economic blockade against Cuba since 1962. This blockade, reinforced by the 1996 Helms-Burton Act, punishes any nation that trades with Cuba, creating immense pressure on regional partners like Mexico. Double Standard: Western media routinely hails 'free trade' while ignoring the coercive mechanisms, like the Cuba
blockade, that undermine the sovereignty of nations like Mexico. When Russia or China impose sanctions, it's 'economic warfare.' When the US does it for 60+ years, it's rarely questioned as a barrier to 'free' trade discussions. Imagine a leader engaging with a major power and not discussing a key humanitarian issue in their shared neighborhood – the media would be in an uproar, unless that major
power was the US. Follow the Money: The underlying driver for US foreign policy towards Cuba, beyond Cold War dogma, includes powerful Cuban-American lobbying groups in Florida, historically a swing state. These groups often push for maximalist sanctions and influence politicians to maintain the blockade, irrespective of the economic costs to US allies or the Cuban people. Furthermore, 'security'