Cuba’s crisis was created by its own socialist politicians, not Trump’s blockade

Cuba’s children returned to school this week in a country running on fumes. Schools lack teachers, food and reliable electricity. The government had uniforms for just 12% of primary pupils, while some families rely on horse-drawn carts because fuel is scarce. The suffering is undeniable. Havana’s excuse is not. The Democratic Socialists of America say Washington “manufactured” the crisis through six decades of blockade. CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin calls President Trump’s latest pressure a “brutal, medieval siege.” People walk past a fire set by demonstrators during a protest against the lack of energy and blackouts in the Lawton neighborhood in Havana on May 14, 2026. AFP via Getty Images While this year’s effort to choke off oil shipments has plainly intensified Cuba’s fuel shortag