Protests against shortages of food and fuel in Cuba's eastern provinces on March 18 brought the corporate media spotlight back to the island, which is currently experiencing a major economic crisis. True to form, much US reporting on the protests attempted to construct a familiar narrative of Cuba as a failed state on the brink of collapse, with no mention of the 62-year US blockade. This is particularly striking given how Cuba's current crisis is a direct outcome of the intensification of the blockade under Trump—which President Biden has upheld throughout his term despite promises to relieve the strangulation of Cuba.

So what's really going on in Cuba today? How severe is the crisis, and where did it come from? What sort of future do the Cuban people envision for themselves, and what role does the US have to play in it? To address these questions and more, The Real News speaks with Manolo de los Santos of The People's Forum, and Liz Oliva Fernandez of Belly of the Beast.

Studio Production: Ju-Hyun Park
Post-Production: Alina Nehlich, Cameron Granadino

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