wx2026-0331 POSTSHOW Fernandez.mxf-podcast

This episode of Democracy Now! features a powerful conversation with Liz Oliva Fernández, a Cuban journalist from the independent media outlet Belly of the Beast, discussing the dire humanitarian crisis in Cuba amid intensified U.S. sanctions and the recent arrival of Russian oil. The discussion centers on how decades of economic warfare—exemplified by the U.S. blockade and recent sanctions under the Trump administration—have devastated Cuba’s infrastructure, healthcare, and daily life, leading to widespread power outages, fuel shortages, and a collapse in medical supply chains. Despite the temporary relief from the Russian oil shipment, Fernández emphasizes that this is not a solution but a stopgap, with long-term sustainability uncertain. She critiques U.S. officials like Marco Rubio for denying the blockade while enabling systemic suffering, and highlights the moral contradiction of the U.S. undermining Cuba’s international medical missions—programs that have saved lives across Latin America and beyond. The episode also explores the role of Cuban-American diaspora activism, including humanitarian convoys like Nuestra América, which aim to bring aid and visibility to Cuba’s ongoing crisis, underscoring the urgent need for policy change and global awareness.