wx2026-0331 POSTSHOW Fernandez-V2.mxf-audio

This episode of Democracy Now! features a powerful conversation with Liz Oliva Fernández, a Cuban journalist from Belly of the Beast, discussing the dire humanitarian crisis in Cuba exacerbated by decades of U.S. economic sanctions. The arrival of a Russian oil tanker, carrying 70,000 barrels of fuel, is presented as a temporary lifeline amid worsening blackouts, transportation collapse, and shortages of medicine and basic necessities. Fernández critiques the U.S. narrative that Cuba's suffering stems from internal failures, arguing instead that the sanctions constitute a sustained economic war that directly impacts the Cuban people. She highlights how the blockade affects healthcare, education, and daily survival—especially in hospitals where children rely on generators during power outages. The episode also covers the recent rejection by the Cuban government of a U.S. embassy request to import diesel for its generators, calling it a 'desvergonzada' (shameless) act given the blockade. Additionally, the segment explores the significance of Cuba’s international medical missions, which Fernández describes as one of the most altruistic global initiatives, now under threat due to U.S. pressure on allied nations to cut ties with Cuba. The conversation underscores the human cost of geopolitical policy and calls for a reevaluation of U.S. Cuba policy.