The US State Department has released a 100-page report denouncing Cuba as the 'capital of 21st-century communism' and listing several American activists and organizations as 'front groups and fellow travelers' for the Cuban government. Among those named are streamer Hasan Piker and Amazon Labor Union founder Chris Smalls.
The report, published on Monday, accuses the Cuban government of carrying out a 'campaign of subversion' that has 'infiltrated the highest reaches of the US government, recruited and cultivated generations of American activists [and] backed an unprecedented wave of leftwing terrorism on American soil.'
Groups and Individuals Targeted
The report singles out the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Isra Hirsi (daughter of US Representative Ilhan Omar), New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and journalist Amy Goodman for their criticism of US policy toward Cuba or participation in Cuba solidarity movements.
Describing the DSA, of which Mamdani is a member, the report says the organization 'serves as a particularly potent illustration of the ideological victory of Cuba’s effort to position itself as the spiritual capital of Third Worldist radicalism.' It accuses the DSA of maintaining a 'fierce, almost religious commitment to the cause of the Cuban regime.'
Broader Context
The report comes days after the State Department, led by Marco Rubio, imposed further sanctions on Cuba targeting its tourism ministry and several state-owned companies. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has long advocated for 'maximum pressure' on Havana.
The US has maintained a sweeping economic embargo on Cuba for over 60 years. Havana and international critics, including human rights organizations, say these policies have severely hurt the island’s economy.
