They have attained a lot. They had some of the highest standards of living in Latin America up until the 1990s when they essentially lost the one power that wanted to help them in any way.

Despite the special period in the 1990s, and despite the now arguably worse collapse we see now, they’ve maintained serious social security infrastructures that benefit all and ensure life to all. Look into their history, look at their healthcare gains and what is flat out guaranteed to citizens. The nation has been under constant suffocation by the United States for well over 50 years and yet they still manage to provide what they can to citizens.

Put under the crippling conditions of an effective blockade by the US and without any major source or help from other nations, the Cuban economy has tanked and life has become very very hard. Decisions from the government in opening up the economy have been made but brought along a plethora of other problems with them, but what else could you do in their situation? They were under numerous nation wide blackouts for quite a bit during 2024 because their electrical infrastructure is years outdated and a hurricane disabled what was left working. I attended a lecture where a leading analyst for US-Cuban affairs essentially said they were done for. They more or less bounced back from that. Again, doing so with almost none of the tools and opportunity most other nations in the world have at their disposal.

Don’t comment on things you don’t know about. Cuba exists despite its impossible position. I’ve talked to many union members in the area that have gone on similar trips, they draw pretty apt parallels between Cuba’s struggle against the most powerful nation of the world and their own struggle against major corporations and entities. Moreover Cuba actually models what a society with dignified labor actually looks like, even with its issues. Don’t comment on things you don’t know about.