It is impossible to fully understand Cuba today without also understanding
the economic sanctions levied against it by the United
States. For over fifty years, these sanctions have been upheld by
every presidential administration, and at times intensified by individual
presidents and acts of Congress. They are a key part of
the U.S. government’s ongoing campaign to undermine the Cuban
Revolution, and stand in egregious violation of international
law. Most importantly, the sanctions are cruelly designed for their
harmful impact on the Cuban people.
In this concise and sober account, Salim Lamrani explains everything
you need to know about U.S. economic sanctions against
Cuba: their origins, their provisions, how they contravene international
law, and how they affect the lives of Cubans. He examines
the U.S. government’s own official documents to expose what is
hiding in plain sight: an indefensible, vicious, and wasteful blockade
that has been roundly condemned by citizens around the
world.