Harry Targ
From an Internal Memorandum Circulated in the Eisenhower Administration Recommending Policies to Undermine the Popularity of the Cuban Revolution:
… every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba. If such a policy is adopted, it should be the result of a positive decision which would call forth a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspicuous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government. https://history.
Sixty-two years after this memorandum was distributed in the Eisenhower Administration the policy now referred to as a “hybrid war” strategy against Cuba continues. The concept of hybrid wars suggests that while traditional warfare between nations has declined, warfare within countries has increased. Internal wars, the hybrid wars theorists suggest, are encouraged and supported by covert interventions, employing private armies, spies, and other operatives financed by outside nations like the United States. Also, the hybrid wars concept refers to the use of economic warfare, embargoes, and blockades, to bring down adversarial states and movements. The economic blockades of Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran are examples as are the US economic sanctions in place against over 30 additional countries. In short, the hybrid war concept suggests the carrying out of wars by other, less visible, means.
Despite the unending United States policy that is committed to undermining and overthrowing Cuba’s socialist revolution (and defeating a Hemisphere-wide growing resistance to United States domination), Cuban solidarity activists continue to organize in opposition to United States foreign policy. One enduring movement, Pastors for Peace (organized by the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization or IFCO), founded in 1967, has orchestrated campaigns of economic and political solidarity with peoples in the Global South. IFCO, led by people of color, connects religious and secular organizations that seek radical change in United States foreign policy.
Preeminent in IFCOs work has been the organization of caravans to bring material aid to Cuba from US communities and at the same time educating activists about the long, painful economic blockade enshrined in US policy since the Eisenhower Administration. “These caravans have delivered countless tons of humanitarian aid to the Cuban people” and have facilitated Cuba tours, construction brigades, speaking tours, and recruiting US citizens to study medicine at the Cuban international medical school, The Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM).
IFCO during the month of July 2022 is engaged in a month-long Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba to raise humanitarian assistance and to increase awareness and activism about the US economic blockade which they argue is more painful and comprehensive now than at any time in its 62-year existence. The caravan has organized tours in the south, the midwest, the east coast and Florida during July 2022. https://ifconews.org
Forty people attended the Pastors for Peace Caravan in Milwaukee, July 6. Cheryl LaBash from the National Network on Cuba spoke about the blockade, its worsening impacts on the Cuban people, Cuba’s continued resistance including providing medical personnel to peoples in danger all around the world, and the comparative indicators of physical health among lower income US citizens with the entire Cuban population. LaBash underscored the fact that all Cubans have free health care and education and modest but livable jobs and income. Her reference to the 1960 memorandum above points out why the Cuban revolution is still popular and survives. And for that reason, United States foreign policy has been to starve the Cuban people into submission.
The Milwaukee Caravan was sponsored by a variety of organizations, the Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba, Veterans for Peace, Zao MKE Church, Milwaukee DSA, Peace Action of Wisconsin, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and IFCO. Also, these groups are committed to sponsoring monthly car caravans to educate the citizens of their city about the inhumane United States policy toward Cuba and to demand that the Biden Administration and United States Congress end the economic blockade. This local campaign is part of a growing national movement to end the blockade.
For information about the Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba see: https://wicuba.org/