‘What Did These Cuban Children Do to Trump?’: US #Embargo Blamed as Infant Mortality Soars
“Is there anything worse than a child dying of cancer when it was preventable?” asked one observer.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/cuba-infant-mortality

from #CommonDrreams
Brett Wilkins
Feb 12, 2026

The crisis is particularly dire among children with cancer. #Cuba’s free healthcare system—which prioritizes the health of the people instead of industry profits, as in the #US—once boasted a #pediatric cancer survival rate of 80%, on par with the world’s wealthy nations. Now that’s down to around 65% as the blockade has forced healthcare providers to modify treatment protocols and medications.

“The situation is very serious at the moment. It was already in terms of acquiring supplies and medicines. But now it is intensifying and complicated with other aspects,” Dr. Forteza Saéz, an oncologist at Havana’s University of Medical Sciences, told La Jornada...

#EndTheEmbargo
#news #politics #USpol #LatinAmerica #Caribbean

Video - What 2025 Looked Like for Cuba, a Belly of the Beast Recap

[A video about #Cuba, hosted on #PeerTube.wtf, from the #news / #video collective #BellyOfTheBeast]

https://peertube.wtf/w/u44KU6kAGhpk5V34Ro3RXz

2025 was a defining year for Cuba. A year of intensified #US pressure and extraordinary #solidarity, inside the island and beyond.

This Belly of the Beast 2025 News Recap brings together the moments that shaped Cuba’s year, told through the voices of those who lived it.

This year, we covered:

•Marco Rubio and US officials escalate rhetoric and actions against Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua

•Cuban athletes denied US visas, missing tournaments and #Olympics qualifiers

•Cuba’s U-20 #soccer team makes history

•#HurricaneMelissa devastates eastern Cuba, and Cubans rally together in response

•#PublicHealth in crisis amid dengue, chikungunya and #medical shortages

•Mass demonstrations in solidarity with #Palestine and #Venezuela

#EndTheEmbargo
#LatinAmerica
#politics #USpol

Belly of the Beast videos about Cuba channel hosted on PeerTube.wtf
is now caught up with the collection on YouTube.  From now on, new #videos from YouTube will be quickly loaded to #PeerTube as well.  [The previous Cuddly.Tube channel will be taken down soon.]

URL: https://peertube.wtf/c/cuba_botb_videos/videos

Also significant is the expansion of playlists.  BotB produces a lot of videos, and it is sometimes difficult to find what you are looking for.   I spent some time going through the collection and adding playlists. 

If you set up a login on PeerTube.wtf, you could also develop and save your own private playlists.  But logins are not necessary to browse videos on PeerTube.wtf.

One playlist that will probably get a lot of use is Cuba and #Palestine, which contains 17 videos.

When you get a chance, please check them out.

#LetCubaLive #EndTheEmbargo #Solidarity #FreePalestine
#politics #BellyOfTheBeast #Cuba #Gaza

@palestine

Interview with Irish legend, David Hickey

https://peertube.wtf/w/d2mDpoeiwvVFNNAWTLSVgp

[A video podcast about #Cuba, hosted on PeerTube.wtf, from the podcast team #CubaAnalysisPodcast]

#DavidHickey’s extraordinary life bridges three distinct worlds: renowned #Irish surgeon, sporting legend, and #solidarity activist.

Hickey’s solidarity with Cuba began through his admiration for its athletes, especially Olympians Alberto Juantorena, track runner, and boxer Teófilo Stevenson, who turned down lucrative professional contracts in order to remain loyal to the Cuban Revolution. In the 1990s, while developing #Ireland’s pancreas transplant programme, Hickey met a Cuban transplant surgeon in France who invited him to visit the island.

In 1999, Hickey travelled to Havana and was ‘absolutely captivated’ by the people and society. He founded the Irish Cuban Medical Association, which shipped ten 40-foot containers of medical supplies to Cuba...

#CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#news #politics #PeerTube

🇻🇳🇨🇺 Việt Nam cùng cộng đồng quốc tế mạnh mẽ kêu gọi chấm dứt cấm vận Cuba tại Đại hội đồng Liên Hợp Quốc. Nghị quyết thường niên về “Sự cần thiết phải chấm dứt cấm vận kinh tế, thương mại và tài chính của Hoa Kỳ đối với Cuba” được thảo luận. #Cuba #Embargo #EndTheEmbargo #Cuba #Cấmvận #Cộngđồngquốctế #Chấmdứtcấmvận

https://vtcnews.vn/viet-nam-cung-cong-dong-quoc-te-manh-me-keu-goi-cham-dut-cam-van-cuba-ar984169.html

The Crushing Cost of U.S. Sanctions on Cuba

[from Cuba In Context - weekly newsletter of the #BellyOfTheBeast news/video collective]

Cuba has released its annual report on the impact of U.S. sanctions on the island's economy. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the damages amount to $7.5 billion, the single biggest loss in a year since #Cuba began issuing these reports.

Also:

• Farm near Havana pioneers #agroecology
• Cuba wins gold at the Tokyo #Athletics World Championships
• Almost 1,000 same-sex marriages in Cuba last year
• Cuban reggaeton artist returns home after emigrating to #US
• Cuba extends tax exemptions on medicine and food imports
• Millions of Cubans struggle to get water

https://groups.io/g/cubanews/message/43380

#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean
#news #politics #USpol #sports @cuba

A Palestinian Story: Grief and Resistance

Meet Jenen — a Palestinian med student in Cuba, unable to return home. For two years, she’s lived in exile, as Gaza is devastated by the Israeli genocide.

[A video about #Cuba, hosted on the #PeerTube server #CuddlyTube, from the #video collective #BellyOfTheBeast]

[#Arabic #AR with English subtitles]

https://cuddly.tube/w/2FjJexoJz5cwdgkGJQgLwS

#Palestine #Gaza #MedicalStudent #FreePalestine #VoicesFromGaza #GazaUnderAttack #StudentVoices #EndTheOccupation
#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList
#news #politics
@cuba

@palestine

No Power. Dead Soil. A Family Started Over.

From degraded soils to resilience. This Cuban family turned their land into a model of #agroecology and #RenewableEnergy.

[A video about #Cuba, hosted on the #PeerTube server #CuddlyTube , from the #video collective #BellyOfTheBeast]

[Spanish, with English subtitles]

🎬 Final short in our series ahead of Our Agroecology, Our Future. Full documentary premiered on @caribbeanagroecology. [IG]

https://cuddly.tube/w/h7ueQ6toPmPgBpRZyd7zUv

#FoodSovereignty #agriculture #farming #FamilyFarming
#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean #news

#español #ES
@cuba

see above post
One hundred thousand people came into the streets on Friday in Havana for Palestine

#Palestine #Gaza #Cuba
#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList
@cuba

@palestine

see above post from Cuba
Desde La Habana, #CubaConPalestina un aliado incondicional en la búsqueda de la paz y la justicia.

[From Havana, #CubaWithPalestine, an unconditional ally in the search for peace and justice.]

[front row, third from left is Miguel Díaz-Canel, president of #Cuba]

#Palestine #Gaza @palestine
#español #ES #VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList

@RubiDCuba
@fkamiah17

How Cuba’s Urban Gardens Feed Entire Neighborhoods

[A #PeerTube video on #CuddlyTube about #Cuba, from the #video collective #BellyOfTheBeast]

Roger and Ismar had been farmers for years, but in 1994 they made a radical change, turning to organopónicos—urban organic farms that would soon spread across the country.

On just 1,280 square meters, their Cuban farm grows 250 species of plants—
100% organic. Hurricane-resistant. Community-powered.

Part of our short series ahead of Our Agroecology, Our Future. Premieres next week (Oct 8) on @caribbeanagroecology.

https://cuddly.tube/w/wqkz7dmiKkiQycaqiA89tA

#Cuba #Organoponico #Agroecology
#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean #español #ES
@cuba

Cuban capital back to normal, recovery moves forward from national blackout

from #Reuters
By Marc Frank and Nelson Acosta
September 11, 2025 8:35 PM EDT

Summary

• More than half of generating capacity restored
• Officials hope to restore full service on Thursday
• Residents say they are frustrated

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/cuban-capital-back-normal-recovery-moves-forward-national-blackout-2025-09-11/

#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean #Cuba
#news #politics
@cuba

#Cuba says power slowly returning after nationwide blackout

from #Reuters
By Marc Frank and Nelson Acosta
September 10, 2025 4:38 PM EDT Updated

Summary

• Fourth grid collapse in less than a year, causes under investigation
• Residents face daily blackouts, economic crisis worsens
• Obsolete power plants struggle as oil imports dwindle

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/cuba-says-power-slowly-returning-after-nationwide-blackout-2025-09-10/

#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean
#news #politics
@cuba

Playing Dirty: Rubio’s War on Cuban Athletes

[from Cuba In Context - weekly newsletter of the #BellyOfTheBeast news/video collective]

From basketball to table tennis to girls' softball, Cuban teams have been blocked from competing in international tournaments on U.S. soil.

This week, journalists Dariel Pradas and Reed Lindsay take a look at the de facto travel ban on Cuban #athletes that could include the World Baseball Classic and even the #Olympics.

Also:

• Former Trump officials make millions lobbying administration
• #Expedia dodges lawsuit over #Cuba bookings
• #Trump keeps WWI law against Cuba in place
• DoJ busts Florida smuggling ring

https://groups.io/g/cubanews/message/42953

#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean
#news #politics #USpol #sports #US
@cuba

US Denies Cuban Volleyball Team Visas…Citing “Terrorism”?

[A #video on #PeerTube about #Cuba from the video collective #BellyOfTheBeast]

The Cuban women’s national #volleyball team was denied visas to compete in Puerto Rico’s NORCECA Final Four — a key qualifier for international championships, such as the Olympic Games that will be held in LA in 2028 and the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.

The International Olympic Committee recognizes the right to practice #sport without discrimination. Instead, for Cubans, #politics got in the way. The #US decision, tied to Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, has robbed the team of crucial ranking points, exposure to scouts.

👉 In this video:
• They were robbed of international tournaments: The players’ testimonies.
• Why are US sanctions misleading about the fair play of Cuban athletes in the Olympics?

https://cuddly.tube/w/kc46U82wUXZbUGyvCjsc1o

#EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica
#news
@cuba

Inside the #US deportation flights to Cuba

Last Thursday, #Cuba received a deportation flight from the #UnitedStates, and our team was at the airport in #Havana to film its arrival and to talk to some of the 161 people deported.

[from Cuba In Context - weekly newsletter of the #BellyOfTheBeast news/video collective]

Other articles

• The #MiamiHerald lays the groundwork for more sanctions
• Pacemakers campaign saves lives in Cuba
• Cuba’s president visits East Asian allies

https://groups.io/g/cubanews/message/42775

#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean
#news #politics #USA #USpol
@cuba

How Sanctions Destroyed Cuban Tourism

[A #video on #PeerTube about #Cuba from the video collective #BellyOfTheBeast]

From Obama’s #tourism boom to #Trump’s #sanctions, #Cuban hosts saw their dreams collapse.
⚠️ #AirBNB & #Expedia left Cuba — families are paying the price.

https://cuddly.tube/w/ivbryfZMstEChpKeGTFJwB

#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList
#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#LatinAmerica #Caribbean
#news #politics
@cuba

Is Cuba’s Military Really Holding Billions Overseas?

[from Cuba In Context - weekly newsletter of the #BellyOfTheBeast news/video collective]

Also

• Rep. Salazar goes after #Florida companies over exports to #Cuba
• #Grenada Minister targeted by #US over Cuba medical cooperation
• #Expedia beats latest lawsuit over Cuba bookings
• Florida politician wants PAHO to be sued in #US courts
• Travel to Cuba drops — again
• Two Cubans indicted for sabotage

https://groups.io/g/cubanews/message/42448

#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList #LatinAmerica #Caribbean
#news #politics
@cuba

@cubainfo

How Sanctions Destroyed #Tourism in Cuba

[from Cuba In Context - weekly newsletter of the #BellyOfTheBeast news/video collective]

Other items

• #Rubio goes after #Brazil, #Africa, #Grenada over #Cuban #medical missions
• Title III saga continues: American Airlines in the crosshairs*#Cuba releases Salvadoran terrorist behind hotel bombing
• Hundreds of thousands of #Vietnamese donate money to help Cuba
• Cuban-born billionaire targets #Florida politicians
• *Venezuela increases oil exports to Cuba
• A *Russian Silicon Valley in Cuba?
• Cubans flock to cinemas this summer
• #US warships head for the #Caribbean

https://groups.io/g/cubanews/message/42274

#VivaCuba #LetCubaLive #CubaSi #EndTheBlockade #CubaSolidarity #EndTheEmbargo
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList
#news #politics #LatinAmerica
@cuba

@cubainfo

Vietnamese Are Helping Cuba With 38-Cent Donations. A Lot of Them.

Cuba sent doctors and food to Vietnam during the war. Now ordinary Vietnamese are sending cash to struggling Cubans

from #NewYorkTimes #NYT
[gift article - link can be shared. Expires in 30 days.]

By Damien Cave
Aug. 19, 2025

[This article is mostly an attack on the Cuban government, but I found the parts about solidarity between #Cuba and #Vietnam inspiring.]

She watched videos and read about how Cuba supported Vietnam during the wars of the 1960s and ‘70s, building hospitals and sending doctors, sugar and cattle. Inspired, she donated 500,000 Vietnamese dong, about $19, from the modest income she earns at her family’s grocery store.

A new crowdfunding campaign for Cuba led by the Vietnam Red Cross Society has raised more than $13 million in the first week...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/world/asia/vietnam-cuba-fundraising.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gU8.yCP_.8hGecZq2zPRz&smid=url-share

#VivaCuba
#LetCubaLive
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba
#EndTheEmbargo
#news #politics
@cuba

@cubainfo