The Report’s Central Claim
A 100-page report issued by the U.S. State Department on July 20 attempts to frame Cuba as the unseen instigator behind much of the political and social unrest in the world and within the United States over the last several decades. The document, labeled 'Cuba: the Capital of 21st Century Communism,' argues that the Cuban Revolution of 1959 not only influenced movements in Latin America but also played a key role in the development of Black Power, radical feminism, and anti-colonial movements in the U.S. and other parts of the globe.
The report tries to rewrite the narrative of the 20th century, claiming that a nation of less than 10 million people somehow shaped a wide range of protests. It points to events such as anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, the mass protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, the resistance to ICE policies, and the current global debates over what some call genocide in Gaza. According to the report, Cuba's revolution led to a new type of Marxism that emphasized anti-Western sentiment over traditional economic class struggle.
However, the report conveniently leaves out major historical facts, such as the U.S. role in Cuba's past. It fails to mention the American-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, supported by U.S. corporations and the CIA. It also does not address the CIA's acknowledgment that Fidel Castro did not initially identify as a communist. Moreover, it ignores the estimated 3,500 people who were killed in the U.S.-backed terrorist attacks on Cuba.
Instead, the report portrays Cuba as a global agitator, claiming that the revolution expanded the conflict from a class struggle into a broader 'civilizational battle.' In this view, the enemy is not just capitalism, but Western culture itself. The document cites the magazine Jacobin, which described Cuba's approach as 'a decolonization of Marxist thought,' suggesting that the revolution redefined traditional Marxist ideals.
Channels of Influence and Alleged Espionage
According to the report, Cuba's influence was spread globally through events like the Tricontinental and OLAS conferences, which it claims helped introduce guerrilla warfare tactics across Latin America. It also accuses the Cuban government of running an elaborate spy network that infiltrated U.S. defense and intelligence agencies, such as the Pentagon and the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The document further claims that Cuba's reach into the U.S. was crucial in forming a revolutionary coalition that connected Vietnamese peasants, Congolese rebels, and American Black Power activists. It argues that the Cuban Revolution inspired a new type of global leftism focused on anti-colonialism and the rejection of Western values.
In addition, the report attributes the recent intensification of the economic blockade against Cuba to the Trump administration. This blockade, the report says, has led to a 148 percent spike in infant mortality and caused thousands of deaths due to a lack of essential medicines and proper nutrition. Some Democratic representatives have compared the situation to a 'silent Gaza,' drawing a direct line between the U.S. policy and the suffering of the Cuban people.