Above photo: Sara Flounders speaks at Cuba solidarity conference, March 14, 2026, New York City. WW John Catalinotto.
Cuba’s internationalism is its crime.
Sara Flounders – cochair of the second session of the National Network on Cuba Conference in New York City – spoke on March 14, 2026, for the United National Antiwar Coalition, the SanctionsKill Campaign and as a contributing editor of Workers World Newspaper.
It is an honor to be here with so many determined friends. This intense solidarity reenergizes all of us!
We are in the midst of a vicious, rapidly expanding U.S. instigated war on Iran. This is a moment of maximum pressure.
So I’ll open this session on “Anti-intervention and Internationalism” with quotes from Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to the people of Iran: “We feel deep sorrow and grief upon learning of the assassination of the Supreme Leader of the Iranian nation as a result of the vile aggression of the United States and Israel. …
“We will remember him as the outstanding statesman and leader of the Iranian people, who contributed decisively to the development and consolidation of friendly and cooperative relations between our countries.”
Díaz-Canel expressed the “solidarity and heartfelt condolences of the Cuban people and government” and denounced “the aggression by the United States and Israel, including the killing of children, [that] will have unpredictable consequences for all the peoples of the region, as well as for international peace, security, and stability.” (granma.cu, March 3)
Two days ago, Trump threatened a “friendly takeover” of Cuba after the U.S. finishes its war with Iran. Yesterday, Trump said “it might or might not be a friendly takeover.” (usatoday.com, March 10)
That is one more reason to be out there defending Iran. This is defending Cuba.
Why is Cuba targeted? Cuba has little oil or fabulous resources. Cuba’s internationalism is its crime! Its ability to link solidarity and concrete aid is its crime.
Cuba provides more medical staff to the developing world — to Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America — than the World Health Organization and G7 countries combined.
U.S solidarity activists take solar panels to Cuba and we also recognize that China provides many solar parks to Cuba. Over 25% of Cuba’s energy needs are met through vast solar farms, wind farms, thermal power and fleets of electric buses. This helps Cuba become self-reliant. Cuba needs both our aid and China’s aid, and every form of solidarity against the U.S. blockade.
Self-reliance, simple technology and people’s resistance is changing the world. This is a shock to U.S. imperialism, an insatiable vampire.
U.S. aggression against Iran
U.S. bases are not just pieces of real estate; U.S. ships are not just boats bobbing on the water. These aircraft carrier battle groups with jets, destroyers and nuclear submarines are intended as weapons of terror.
The U.S. assassinated Iran’s most respected leader and 49 other top political and military leaders, and then intentionally murdered 175 little girls in an opening sneak terror attack in the midst of negotiations. This was to sow terror.
Trump declared to Iran: “I have to be involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader. He demanded “unconditional surrender.” (bbc.com, March 6)
This is the same thing the U.S. wants and plans for Cuba. This is the same thing Washington expected from Venezuela when the U.S. kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and [First Combatant] Cilia Flores. But the whole people came together in giant mobilizations and national cohesion of the elected government, the judiciary, the military and the people’s militia.
The U.S. war machine expected Iran to crumble into submission at its overwhelming power. The Iranian people rose up in rage, with well-planned attacks using low-tech weapons and tens of thousands of drones.
Every drone Iran fires in self-defense is also a defense of Cuba. That is the country Trump said is next in line.
We might be in for a long, expanding war in West Asia and the Gulf region. U.S. imperialism and its vicious Zionist proxies are desperately spreading terror. The entire city of Beirut is being bombed. Even people huddled in tents on the beach are bombed.
But Israeli and U.S. bases are going dark as their radar eyes are taken out, one after another. Iranian drones have disrupted or destroyed surveillance, communications and cloud computing services. The war has moved from U.S. military bases to data centers.
The Strait of Hormuz is closed to Iran’s enemies. But not to friends. Those are the new rules.
Iran is fighting for everyone who believes in liberation, in internationalism, in resistance. Iran is fighting for everyone here who is for Palestine, for Venezuela and Nicaragua and all of us for Cuba.
As President Díaz-Canel reminded us today, Cuba and the world are in full solidarity, in militant unity, with Iran under attack.
Together in unity! Venceremos!
