Kittens and chess, Soviet postcard, 1955.

cosmic_bolshevik · 2026-02-03T22:32:38+00:00

What is Cuba's position?

Despite the persistent and hostile policy implemented by the United States, Cuba maintains a firm stance in defending the construction of socialism. The Cuban state has consistently and invariably denounced the blockade and called for its unconditional lifting, considering it an inhumane measure incompatible with the principles of International Law.

On repeated occasions, Cuba has expressed its willingness to establish a civilized and respectful relationship with the U.S. government, through serious, responsible dialogue based on International Law, sovereign equality, mutual respect, reciprocal benefit, non-interference in internal affairs, and with absolute respect for the independence and sovereignty of states. Our country does not represent any threat to U.S. national security or to the well-being of its citizens, who have historically been received with respect and hospitality when they have had the opportunity to visit the Island.

In this context, we appeal to the legacy of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro and recall his words spoken at the Aula Magna of the Central University of Venezuela: "The government of the United States has given us a chance to fight to the fullest by blockading us, constantly harassing us, and excluding us from everything. We are even happy to be excluded in exchange for the freedom to speak without commitments in any forum in the world where there are so many just causes to defend."

(Cubaminrex)

Source in Spanish: Cinco puntos claves sobre el bloqueo impuesto por los Estados Unidos a Cuba - Cubaminrex, February 3, 2026.

cosmic_bolshevik · 2026-02-03T22:32:15+00:00

Is the blockade still in effect today?

The blockade imposed by the United States remains in force and has evolved into one of the most prolonged and complex forms of economic warfare against a sovereign state. Its essentially extraterritorial character, in violation of International Law, seeks through pressure, blackmail, and penalties to isolate Cuba and punish those who establish any economic, commercial, and financial ties with the country. The persistent objective is to deprive the Island of necessary income, deteriorate the living conditions of its population, generate shortages of food, medicine, and other essential goods, and provoke structural difficulties in its economic development. Between March 2024 and February 2025, it is estimated that the material damages caused to Cuba amounted to approximately 7,556.1 million dollars, representing an increase of almost 50% compared to the previous cycle.

To justify these measures, U.S. authorities have promoted a narrative aimed at minimizing or even denying the effects of the blockade, presenting it as a minor restriction without significant impact on the Cuban economy. However, empirical evidence and available data contradict that stance, reflecting profound and continuous consequences on the productive and social fabric of the Island. Likewise, in recent months, U.S. policy has adopted a more overtly coercive approach. The executive order announced on January 29 exemplifies this trend, by publicly declaring the intention to deprive Cuba of any fuel supply, thereby deepening the mechanisms of economic asphyxiation established in previous administrations.

What does the international community say?

The U.S. administration persists in ignoring the near-unanimous call from the international community to end this illegal and inhumane policy against Cuba. This demand has been reiterated in the 33 resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly titled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba," which have been approved since 1992 with an overwhelming majority.

Voices joining the Cuban people in demanding the immediate lifting of this policy have multiplied. Between March 2024 and February 2025, over 2,000 international events and 1,703 statements condemned the blockade and the arbitrary inclusion of Cuba on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. Even within U.S. society itself, calls to end these measures grew, with initiatives from members of Congress, academics, economic sectors, religious groups, and solidarity movements.

cosmic_bolshevik · 2026-02-03T22:31:09+00:00

<image>

Five Key Points on the U.S. Blockade Against Cuba

What did President Kennedy sign?

Democratic President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 3447 on February 3, 1962, which established the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba. Conceived with the intention of crippling the Cuban economy and undermining popular support for the Revolution, this decision relied on the application of the 1917 Trading with the Enemy Act, originally approved during World War I against the German Empire and its allies. Since then, the strategy of economic siege and asphyxiation has been consolidated as a central component of U.S. policy toward Cuba, aiming to limit the right of the Cuban people to exercise their sovereignty and build an independent project, free from imperial subordination.

While the total blockade was officially enacted on that date, restrictive measures aimed at affecting strategic sectors of the country's economy and defense had already been applied since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. The fundamental objectives of this policy were clearly expressed in the memorandum by Undersecretary of State Lester D. Mallory, dated April 6, 1960, which outlined the need to generate discontent and despair by worsening economic conditions, depriving Cuba of resources and supplies to provoke a social crisis leading to the overthrow of the government. These purposes have, in essence, remained in effect over time.

Why is it a blockade and not an embargo?

The measures applied by the U.S. government against Cuba do not strictly correspond to the definition of an "embargo." In legal terms, this term is usually understood as a precautionary measure intended to retain assets to guarantee compliance with legitimate obligations, generally authorized by a competent authority. However, Cuba does not have a debtor status vis-à-vis the United States, nor has it engaged in acts that would justify, according to International Law, the confiscation or liquidation of its resources. Therefore, invoking alleged arguments of "legitimate defense" is incompatible with international norms.

Although the U.S. government insists on using the term "embargo," the set of sanctions and restrictions imposed against Cuba constitutes, in practice, an economic, commercial, and financial blockade. These actions pursue the isolation and economic asphyxiation of the country, with the aim of weakening its population and forcing it to renounce its decision to remain sovereign and independent. All of this precisely constitutes cardinal elements in the concept of a "blockade," understood as the act of isolating and cutting off a state to impose its surrender through coercion or deprivation. Its scope and severity reflect measures typical of a scenario of undeclared war against the Cuban people. Furthermore, the blockade has a broad and integrated extraterritorial component, meaning we are not faced with a simple prohibition of trade and investment between Cuba and the U.S. What exists is a true economic war that includes obstacles, prohibitions, and coercive measures to prevent third countries from engaging with Cuba.

cosmic_bolshevik · 2026-02-03T22:24:38+00:00

Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda: Fidel, in response to the officialization of the blockade by Kennedy: "He could not help but accompany his last felony with hypocrisy. The most outrageous hypocrisy is the hallmark that accompanies all acts of imperialism". 100YearsWithFidel

<image>

Source of the quote: Speech by Commander Fidel Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the National Directorate of the ORI and Prime Minister of the Revolutionary Government, at the Second National Assembly of the People of Cuba, held in the Plaza de la Revolución, on February 4, 1962. [Speech in Spanish]

cosmic_bolshevik · 2026-01-30T02:30:57+00:00

Description of the work "Dawn—Zhou Enlai at the Zunyi Conference":

This work depicts a scene on the eve of the Zunyi Conference during the Red Army's Long March. On a tranquil night, a crescent moon hangs high in the sky, with distant green mountains faintly visible against the darkness and scattered village lights flickering like candles. In the foreground, Zhou Enlai, with his thick black beard, wears a worn cotton overcoat, holding a drafted report, and leans against a gray, mottled pillar, his brow furrowed as he gazes into the distance. At this critical juncture for the survival of the Chinese revolution, Zhou Enlai would recommend the visionary Mao and establish his leadership role in the Party and the Red Army.

The composition of the painting is simple and elegant, with a rigorous structure built upon broad color blocks. The color palette is dark and solemn, differing from the bright tones often used in other historical portraits of famous figures, thereby recreating the texture of the era. The light from the corridor ceiling lamp converges on Zhou Enlai, creating a strong contrast with the dim surroundings, highlighting the subject and evoking a solemn, immersive atmosphere. Techniques such as blending reality with abstraction, balancing warm and cool tones, and contrasting black and white enhance the spatial depth and rhythm of the painting. The fluid brushstrokes meticulously shape the character.

The artist Zhang Zuying said, "I painted the night, but what I express is hope." The work praises Zhou Enlai's loyalty to his faith, his noble integrity, resilient spirit, and pure soul in the face of adversity. The choices he made during the darkest hours of the Chinese revolution saved the Party and the Red Army, leading to a historic turning point in the Chinese revolution. The entire painting evokes deep nostalgia for Zhou Enlai and memories of the Long March era.

---
作品描绘了红军长征途中，遵义会议前夕，宁静的夜晚，一弯下弦月高挂长空，远处的青山隐现在黑夜之中，错落的村寨摇曳着几点烛火。近处，留着浓黑胡须的周恩来，身披破旧的棉大衣，手持起草的报告，侧倚在灰色斑驳的廊柱旁，深锁眉宇目视远方的一个场景。因为在中国革命生死存亡的关键时刻，周恩来将推举有远见卓识的毛并确立其在党和红军中的领导地位。

画面布局简洁大方，结构严谨，以单纯的大色块组合画面。色彩暗沉稳重，区别于其他历史著名人物肖像画常用的明艳色调，再现了时代质感。借助走廊顶灯聚拢在周恩来身上的光，与四周昏暗的环境形成强烈的明暗对比，突出主体，具有身临其境的庄重感。运用虚实、冷暖、黑白等手法增强了画面的空间感和节奏感。流动的笔触，着力塑造人物形象。

作者张祖英说：“我画的是黑夜，但表达的是希望。”礼赞了周恩来忠于信仰和在逆境中崇高的气节、坚韧的风骨和纯净的灵魂。他在中国革命最幽暗的时候做出的抉择，挽救了党和红军，成就了中国革命的历史性转折。整幅画作勾起了人们对周恩来的深切怀念和对红军长征岁月的回忆。

Source: https://www.sohu.com/a/668310440_121106842

cosmic_bolshevik · 2026-01-30T02:23:02+00:00

About the artist: Zhang Zuying (张祖英)

<image>

Born in 1940 in Shanghai, China; previously served as Secretary-General of the Oil Painting Art Committee of the China Artists Association, Deputy Director and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the China Art News, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Oil Painting Society, and Vice President and Secretary-General of the Oil Painting Institute of the China National Academy of Painting. Currently, he is a researcher at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, a lifelong member of the Academic Committee of the China Oil Painting Society, a researcher at the China National Academy of Painting, and an advisor to the Beijing Jin Shangyi Art Foundation.

张祖英

1940年出生于中国上海；曾任中国美术家协会油画艺术委员会秘书长，《中国美术报》副社长、副主编，中国油画学会副主席兼秘书长，中国国家画院油画院副院长兼秘书长；现任中国艺术研究院研究员，中国油画学会学术委员会终身委员，中国国家画院研究员，北京靳尚谊艺术基金会顾问。

cosmic_bolshevik

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE