THE US is waging a war in the Caribbean — one that targets the old, the infirm, and children. It’s a grinding war of attrition aimed at forcing the surrender of a proud people who have dared to defy an empire.

This siege warfare has continued for decades through the illegal blockade of Cuba, attempting to snuff out the last light of socialism in the Western hemisphere.

US designs on Cuba stretch back nearly 200 years, from attempting to buy the island from Spain in 1848 to supporting the Batista dictatorship in the mid-20th century.

During this period, Cuba became a playground for US celebrities, politicians, and gangsters, awash with gambling and prostitution.

When Fidel Castro’s revolution succeeded, the US response was swift and violent. Under president Eisenhower, a wave of terrorism was unleashed across the island — killing civilians, sabotaging infrastructure, and damaging the economy.

Today, the US continues to maintain its illegal blockade, despite annual UN general assembly votes calling for its end, with only the US and Israel in opposition.

Yet Cuba resists. For each new sanction, the world responds with double the solidarity. As a member of both the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and the National Education Union (NEU), I’ve witnessed this first hand.

The NEU, and its precursor union the NUT, has a proud tradition of international solidarity — from fighting fascism in Spain to opposing apartheid in South Africa.

This spirit continues today. In 2023, NEU members raised over £100,000 for the Viva la Educacion campaign, providing essential educational materials to Cuban schools. This year, supporters have already contributed £85,000 to the medical appeal.

Robert Poole. Credit: Author supplied

Recently, I joined 24 other NEU delegates delivering crucial supplies to Cuban schools, including braille machines for visually impaired students at the Abel Santamaria School in Havana and violins for a music school.

The impact of the blockade becomes painfully clear through personal stories. Otto, from the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples in Pinar del Rio, told us about his daughter who was born deaf and needed a cochlear implant. While these implants cost around £10,000 in the UK, Cuba must source them from Australia at £27,000 each — making the procedure available to far fewer children than necessary.

At a school for blind students, we learned that a shortage of braille machines had prevented some children from attending school. Thanks to solidarity actions from our campaign, the school now has enough typewriters for all students, allowing them to access education two years earlier than previously possible.

What I witnessed in Cuba contradicted the Western media’s portrayal. I encountered people guided by principles of solidarity and love, reflected in school walls and institutional ethos.

Cuban educators were visibly shocked when we described British education — the punishing Ofsted regime that has driven teachers to suicide, the crushing graduate debt.

Many delegates noted how Cubans achieve so much with so little, while Britain often achieves so little with so much.

Cubans often spoke of solidarity: “Solidarity isn’t giving away what you have left, it is sharing what you have” and “Help us so we can help others.” We saw this in action when the eastern region of Guantanamo was hit by a hurricane.

Cubans nationwide formed human chains to distribute aid, clothes, and toys. One teacher described her teenage daughter spontaneously emptying half her wardrobe for donations.

We met a Palestinian medical student, one of 250 young people on Cuban government scholarships. He shared harrowing stories of waiting for news from home, speaking of a classmate who hadn’t heard from family in almost a year. His gratitude to Cuba was profound, highlighting the deep connection between two peoples facing imperialist aggression.

Democracy thrives in Cuban schools, not in the superficial way we see in Britain, but through genuine student participation. Every class elects a president and officers who regularly meet with school boards.

Both educator and student unions play powerful roles in decision-making, demonstrating how these organisations function differently under socialism than capitalism.

As Mark Fisher noted, “It’s easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.” But to those sceptical of existing socialist states, I say: visit Cuba. Speak to its people. Many in our delegation changed their perspectives after doing so.

To the people of Cuba: You are not alone. Venceremos!

Robert Poole is a teacher, union rep, assistant district secretary for Bolton NEU and editor of the journal Education for Tomorrow.

Support Cuba by donating to the Cuba Viva appeal at www.cubavive.org.uk/donate and by joining the Cuba Solidarity Campaign at cuba-solidarity.org.uk

Robert will be speaking at the Bolton Socialist Club on Friday, November 29, 2024 at 7:30 pm. Entry is free but donations towards the medical aid appeal are welcome.