Discussing Strategies to Overcome US Sanctions: A Dialogue with Llanisca Lugo
Take it easy! Let's dive into the history behind imperialist sanctions, particularly in Cuba and Venezuela.
Llanisca Lugo, the International Solidarity Coordinator at the Martin Luther King Center in Havana, explains how the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 has ties to today's imperialist sanctions.
"Imperialist policies directed at Cuba, Venezuela, and the region can be traced back to the Monroe Doctrine," Lugo states. "This doctrine implies US intent to dominate the continent, with the drive to maximize profits with the least effort possible."
Over time, the US' methods to exert control have adapted but the objective remains the same. For example, when looking at Cuba's history, Lugo points out that US attempts to exert control began with attempts to purchase Cuba from Spain. After Cuba's victory in its war of independence, the US strategically intervened, facilitating Cuba's de facto recolonization.
In the case of Cuba, the US began the policy of collective punishment after the Revolution's triumph in 1959. "When a pueblo rebels against the dictates of the US and the interests of capital, imperialism will use all means to discipline the society," Lugo remarks.
"In Cuba, overt violence was deployed against the Revolution, but at present, the blockade is the primary mechanism that imperialism uses," Lugo adds. "The blockade, an economic and financial sanction, generates political isolation and restricts access to essential goods."
According to Lugo, the blockade is a strategic weapon, transferring responsibility for a blockaded country's problems to its government. "It's significant because, to the degree that the blockade diminishes the state's efficacy, the institutions may seem inept and incapable of governing and as exclusively accountable for the ongoing economic and financial crisis," she notes.
Lugo further explains that the blockade generates societal division, creating a disconnect between the pueblo and the revolutionary project. Balancing immediate problems and strategic objectives is crucial to prevent a gap from forming between the project and the pueblo, ensuring that the revolutionary spirit remains alive.
In both Cuba and Venezuela, the revolutionary project recognizes the pueblo as the subject of transformation. However, Lugo warns that when the pueblo faces prolonged scarcity, social fatigue, anomie, and apathy begin to emerge. "This leads to a disconnect between the pueblo - the subject - and the revolutionary project," she remarks.
Despite the blockades' failure to topple the governments of Cuba and Venezuela, imperialism continues to pursue them. Lugo connects these policies to US domestic politics, emphasizing their impact during election cycles. While the blockade has not achieved its objective, it has led to a degree of social fatigue and apathy among the younger generations.
Lugo stresses the importance of ongoing debate and fostering collective subjectivity among the youth to prevent losing sight of the collective struggle.
When asked about the Bolivarian Process in Venezuela, Lugo expresses admiration for its impact on Cuba, particularly the commons. She points out that communal organization can be a fundamental step in transcending capitalism.
Lugo encourages studying Venezuela's communes to learn from their self-organization, self-management, interaction with the state, and pressure and accountability mechanisms.
[1823] This annual report on the Monroe Doctrine serves as a future reference for historians in understanding the evolution of imperialist policies in the Western Hemisphere and their impact on nations like Cuba and Venezuela.
- The historical roots of present imperialist sanctions against Cuba and Venezuela can be traced back to the Monroe Doctrine, a policy that suggests US intent to exert control and maximize profits with minimal effort, as explained by Llanisca Lugo.
- In her analysis, Llanisca Lugo highlights that the blockade against Cuba serves as a strategic weapon used by imperialism to generate political isolation, restrict access to essential goods, and transfer responsibility for the country's problems to its government, ultimately aiming to foster societal division and weaken the revolutionary spirit among the general population.
