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Sanctions

Caribbean Leaders Oppose US Policy Targeting Cuban Medical Missions

Caribbean leaders are pushing back against a new U.S. policy that aims to crack down on Cuban medical missions, saying that the work of hundreds of Cuban medical staff across the region is essential. Hugh Todd, Guyana’s foreign minister, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that foreign ministers from a 15-member Caribbean trade bloc known as Caricom recently met with U.S. Special Envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone in Washington, D.C. after the U.S. threatened to restrict the visas of those involved with Cuban missions, which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called “forced labor.”

UK Lifts Sanctions On Syria’s De Facto Government; Massacres Continue

The British government has lifted sanctions on 24 entities in Syria, including the country’s central bank, coming during a severe economic crisis and an indiscriminate government crackdown on the uprising launched this week by elements of the former Syrian military. The UK is the first country to unfreeze all Syrian central bank assets. Sanctions on the state airliner and state-owned oil firms were also removed on 6 March. “This approach underscores our commitment to help the people of Syria rebuild their country and economy, including through support for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process,” a UK government spokesman said.

Trump’s Maximum Pressure Scheme: US Sanctions Iranian ‘Shadow Fleet’

Washington imposed sanctions on 24 February, targeting what it refers to as a “shadowy” fleet made up of companies, individuals, and vessels involved in transporting Iranian oil to circumvent unilateral US sanctions. “Iran continues to rely on a shadowy network of vessels, shippers, and brokers to facilitate its oil sales and fund its destabilizing activities. The United States will use all our available tools to target all aspects of Iran’s oil supply chain, and anyone who deals in Iranian oil exposes themselves to significant sanctions risk,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement on Monday.

Three Years Into Ukraine War, Europe Introduces More Sanctions

Three years into the 2022 Ukraine war, European leaders have unveiled yet another round of sanctions against Russia, its allies, and companies that engage with them—but continue to reject options that might actually bring an end to the conflict. This latest package in the EU’s ongoing effort to stun Russia targets not just Russian individuals and enterprises, but also officials in the Korean People’s Army and Chinese companies. European officials insist these sanctions are working, weakening Russia’s military capabilities. “Today’s decision maintains pressure on the Russian military and defense by listing several industry companies manufacturing weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment and technologies,” the Council of the EU stated.

Brussels Parliament To Recognize Israel’s War On Gaza As Genocide

The March 30 Movement, which has long advocated for the Palestinian cause, stated that the historic step was adopted on February 3. This comes as the movement’s electoral initiative during the 2024 campaign, Viva Palestina, focused on one key demand: for the Brussels Parliament to officially recognize the genocide in Gaza and take concrete action. Throughout the campaign, Viva Palestina engaged extensively in debates with political parties, applied pressure to push them to take a stance, and mobilized public opinion. With the resolution adopted at the commission level, the March 30 Movement urged all Belgian parties to vote in its favor in the plenary session, ensuring that Brussels continues to lead by example in the fight for justice and human rights.

US Senate To Vote On Sanctions Against ICC Over Israel War Crimes Warrants

The US Senate is set to begin voting on Tuesday on a bill that would impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to a report by The Washington Post. The move has reportedly sparked concerns among some prominent European allies who warn it could undermine international law. “U.S. lawmakers are moving to pass a law that some of Washington’s top European allies fear will ‘cripple’ the world’s preeminent international court, enable war criminals to act with impunity, and degrade the West’s moral authority,” the Washington Post reported.

The Boomerang Effect: Shortsighted Policies Cause Decline Of US Hegemony

The world is changing rapidly, driven by the necessity of creating alternative institutions to counter US domination and aggression. As the multipolar world rises, it is a critical time for the United States to re-evaluate and change its policies and practices in order to remain an active member of the global community. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ben Norton of Geopolitical Economy about the ways that US policy, the Washington Consensus, have backfired and what the growing US deficit means. Norton outlines what can be done to counter the current path the US is taking.

Trump Attacks Colombia; President Gustavo Petro Fights Back

Donald Trump has kicked off his second administration with a very aggressive foreign policy. Trump is threatening trade restrictions and sanctions on countries around the world, including 100% tariffs on BRICS countries, which now represent 55% of the world population. The US president wants to colonize Greenland. He also vowed to take over the Panama Canal. Invoking “Manifest Destiny”, Trump is even attacking Canada and Mexico, the two largest trading partners of the United States. When Trump selected neoconservative hawk Marco Rubio as his secretary of state, it was a sign that he would be focusing his attention on Latin America

Trump’s Day One: Sanctions Lifted, Settler Violence Explodes

On his first day in office, Donald Trump lifted all sanctions previously placed on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a political move that coincided with a series of violent attacks by Israeli settlers targeting Palestinians that same night. While the President has publicly committed to combating violent extremism, extremist settler groups continue to finance their activities through American charities. On Monday night, with the backing of the Israeli military, settler groups launched a series of violent assaults on residents in the West Bank.

Trump Reinstates Cuba As A ‘State Sponsor Of Terrorism’

On his first day in office, US President Donald Trump reinstated Cuba as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism.” Outgoing President Joe Biden had removed Cuba from the US State Department’s list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism” less than a week prior, a long-awaited move that he committed to in his final days in office. Prior to this, Cuba had been on the list since 2021, as Trump had added Cuba in the final days of his first administration. This designation has piled on unilateral sanctions to the already blockaded island and led to multiple humanitarian crises, as it has the unofficial effects of ostracizing Cuba from global trade—resulting in shortages of key goods such as fuel.

Biden Removes Cuba From List Of State Sponsors Of Terrorism

United States President Biden has announced that he will remove Cuba from the US’s list of State Sponsors of Terrorism in his final days as President, reversing Donald Trump’s addition of Cuba to the list in 2021. The Biden administration said on Tuesday, January 14, that this move is meant to facilitate the release of individuals detained in Cuba. “I transmit herewith a report to the Congress with respect to the proposed recission of Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism,” Biden announced. Countries are added to the US’s State Sponsors of Terrorism list by the State Department that have allegedly “repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism”.

No Popular Revolution Is Launched With Imperialism’s Backing

After more than a decade of military occupation, imposition of civil war and deadly economic sanctions by U.S. imperialism and its regional allies, the legitimate government of Syria was finally brought to its knees and a rebranded group of terrorists occupied Damascus and implemented imperialism’s long-term plan for regime change in Syria; an act which could not have been possible without direct military assistance of the U.S. and Israel and support from Türkiye and the reactionary regimes of the region. The rapid collapse of the Syrian government has led many who do not have a proper understanding of imperialism’s objectives and the historical global trends — and who base their assessments and analyses only on momentary and transient events — to blame Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government for the present defeat.

Cubans March Against The US Blockade

“President Biden, take Cuba off the infamous list!” exclaimed the over half a million Cubans who marched on Havana’s malecón to the US Embassy. The mass march was called for by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel earlier this week to demonstrate the absolute and total rejection of the Cuban people to the six-decade US-imposed blockade on the island as well as the inclusion of Cuba to the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list (SSoT) which together have wreaked havoc on the island’s economy. The march was led by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and General Raúl Castro who were flanked by over half a million Cubans from all sectors of life including students, doctors, construction workers, artists, and more.

Human Rights = Right To Live!: Sanctions Kill! Webinar December 10

On International Human Rights Day, Tuesday, Dec 10, 2024, learn how U.S. sanctions violate human rights, with speakers from Palestine and diplomats from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Also speaking will be representatives of the Sanctions Kill / Americas Without Sanctions Campaign and Zone of Peace. Human Rights Day is observed annually around the world on December 10, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being. As this Human Rights Day approaches, we are horrified that the genocidal terror on Gaza is not only continuing but spreading throughout the region.

The Geopolitical Dimensions Of The US BOLIVAR Act

Awaiting approval by the US Senate, the bipartisan bill titled “Banning Operations and Leases with the Illegitimate Venezuelan Authoritarian Regime Act,” known by its forced acronym “BOLIVAR Act,” represents a milestone in the institutionalization of illegal sanctions against Venezuela. This law aims to—under a legislative and bipartisan framework—perpetuating the executive orders that have operated as the core of the economic and financial coercion policy against Venezuela over the past ten years. Within the law, the definition of the term “person” as a legal object establishes an expansion of the scope of sanctions, covering everything from individuals and private entities to governmental bodies and their extensions, thereby creating a vast catalog of potential targets on an international scale.