Venezuela and Cuba: Two Examples of Brutal Struggles Against the U.S. Empire

By David Starr

Over the years, Venezuela and Cuba have been bulwarks against the imperial schemes of the United States empire. But despite conditions in both countries being harsh, both have somewhat persevered in protecting their respective revolutions, and their sovereignty.

With past U.S. presidents, the hostility from the empire was bad enough. But now with the Trump regime currently in power, it has further reached crisis levels.

The following is a look at both countries:

Venezuela –

The Jan. 3, 2026 kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Ceclia Flores by the empire has really not been shocking since it has been doing similar crimes for decades in Latin America and the Caribbean.

What is shocking is interim President Delcy Rodriquez’s capitulation to U.S. dictates, and as well as Israel’s. Rodriquez established diplomatic relations with the Zionist/Nazi-like entity at the expense of the Palestinians’ basic rights against Israel’s war crimes.

When former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was in power, he cut off ties with Israel, and it has been that way up to now. It is true that Venezuela is in a tough spot, particularly facing U.S. hostility as the Trump regime has made dictates to how Venezuela should operate its oil industry and also the profits made from it. And with U.S. war ships near to Venezuela.

In a segment on Breakthrough News, there are details to the Venezuelan crisis, as well as other crises in Latin America.

Despite U.S. aggression, many Venezuelans have supported the Bolivarian revolution that Hugo Chavez ushered in. It focused on the needs of the people in general, rather than imposing private monopolies owned by U.S. and Venezuelan elites which have been protected by U.S. imperialism over the decades.

Despite the concessions Venezuela has made because of U.S. imperialism, the Bolivarian struggle is not over. It shall survive and be characteristic of Venezuela’s interests and sovereignty. 

Cuba – 

Let me state the obvious because it needs to be expressed: the over-60-year embargo (or the blockade) against Cuba by the U.S. empire is cruel and unusual punishment. It shows just how evil the U.S. establishment can be as it attempts to continue its imperial rampage.

U.S. presidents past and present have tried to justify the embargo based on their accusations that Cuba is a “failed state” and has committed horrible oppression against its own people. Most of this, anyway, is false. Sure, there have been negative circumstances due to internal policy but nevertheless the Cuban government has not oppressed its own people as the U.S. establishment has accused it of.

The real reason for U.S. aggression is that Cuba has committed the ultimate “sin.” It has dared to establish socialism, which is the antithesis of capitalist rule. It has been socialism with Cuban characteristics. And that makes sense because each country has its own particular, historical conditions and socialism would be applied to at least   compliment much of those conditions. Negative factors would be discarded.

Most of the world is against the embargo. There have been many votes in the United Nations General Assembly since 1992 that have overwhelmingly condemned the embargo and want it ended. There are usually two exceptions: the United States and Israel. In 2026 the general Assembly voted 136 to 9 to lift the embargo. There were 30 abstentions.

The problem is that the UN general Assembly does not have binding votes. The actual voting power is in the UN Security Council, which genuinely represents the few nations of the world. It would thus be more democratic if the General Assembly had the power of binding votes.

One target of U.S. aggression was former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. There were over 600 assassination attempts on him. And the CIA, one of the biggest terror networks worldwide, is mainly responsible for those attempts. The CIA has conducted some terrible operations against Cuba after its 1959 revolution. Operation Northwards is one example.

Castro had his faults but he was condemned by the U.S. empire as being 100% “evil.” Actually, Castro did have tremendous courage by openly condemning the empire over the years. And the U.S. establishment was furious over his condemnations. 

But not for the promotion of democracy and freedom.

It was, like now, to maintain and try to expand the rule of capital, usually at the expense of most people in the world; namely, the working class and the poor. 

Despite the blockade, Cubans have been steadfast in the face of it. They try to maintain a push for sanity in the mist of U.S. insanity. 

All past empires have fallen and the U.S., as an empire, will also fall. The struggles for social justice and equality, with examples like Venezuela and Cuba, will continue until there is real change in the current world order. There must be.