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Civilization on the Brink: Trump’s Obscene Threats and the Soul of America

Written by Ted Lewis
Global Exchange Co-Executive Director.
April 7, 2026

On April 7, 2026, the President of the United States wrote these words on social media: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

Let those words land. Not as political noise. Not as bluster. As what they are: a threat to commit genocide, uttered in broad daylight by the man who holds the highest office on earth.

Iran is not a rogue abstraction. It is the heir to one of the most ancient and luminous civilizations in human history — the civilization of Cyrus, of Hafez, of Rumi, of the first human rights charter ever written. It is a nation of over 90 million people, most of them young, many of them yearning for a different future. To threaten the annihilation of their civilization is not strength. It is savagery dressed in the language of ultimatum.

Amnesty International has already said plainly what lawyers and human rights experts are saying in chorus: Trump’s threats “may constitute a threat to commit genocide.” Kenneth Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, put it with cold precision: “Attacking civilians is a war crime. So is making threats with the aim of terrorizing the civilian population.” The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has deplored the rhetoric. Even a Republican senator — Ron Johnson of Wisconsin — broke from his party to say: “I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure.”

And yet here we are.

The president has threatened to destroy every bridge, every power plant, every desalination facility — the infrastructure upon which 90 million human lives depend for water, for heat, for light, for hospitals. He has said, with characteristic contempt for law and history, that he is “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes. Not at all.

We have been down this road before, though never with such naked, gloating abandon. The fingerprints on this catastrophe belong not only to Trump. They belong to Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government has prosecuted a war of staggering brutality across the region and who has drawn the United States deeper and deeper into an entanglement that serves Israeli strategic ambitions far more than American ones. The U.S. and Israel launched this war together on February 28. They are bombing Iranian universities, bridges, petrochemical plants and steel factories together. And now, with over 3,400 people killed across the region — more than 1,600 of them civilians — the bill is being paid in Iranian blood while Netanyahu’s government cheers from the sidelines.

This is the company America now keeps.

But Iran is not the only people being slowly destroyed by deliberate American policy. Ninety miles from Florida, the island of Cuba — home to nearly ten million people — is being strangled in plain sight. In January 2026, Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on any nation that supplies oil to Cuba. The result has been the most effective blockade of the island since the Cuban Missile Crisis. No fuel means no electricity. No electricity means food rots, hospitals go dark, water pumps fail, and children go to school without breakfast. Researchers estimate that at least 40 percent of Cuba’s population is now living in extreme poverty, with widespread malnutrition among the elderly and children. Food is rotting in the fields because there is no diesel to bring in the harvest. One U.S. Congresswoman acknowledged, without apparent shame, that the suffering of mothers and children is “a price worth paying” for regime change. A 1960 State Department memorandum set out the explicit goal of U.S. Cuba policy as producing “hunger, desperation and overthrow of government.” Six decades later, the strategy is unchanged — only now it is turbo-charged.

The United Nations Human Rights Office has called this oil blockade a “serious violation of international law” and “an extreme form of unilateral economic coercion.” What it is, in plain language, is a siege. And sieges that deliberately starve civilian populations have a name under international law: they are war crimes.

So we have this: in the Middle East, threats of civilizational destruction from 30,000 feet. In the Caribbean, a slow suffocation by economic strangulation. Two peoples. Two methods. One doctrine — collective punishment of civilians in pursuit of regime change.

And what of the Vice President of the United States? While Trump issues his apocalyptic ultimatums, JD Vance is in Budapest — not to shore up historic alliances, not to rally democracies, but to stand on a stage at a campaign rally for Viktor Orbán, the autocrat who has declared the European Union a greater threat to Hungary than Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Orbán, who has maintained warm ties to the Kremlin while Ukraine bleeds. Orbán, the inspiration and lodestar of every authoritarian populist from Warsaw to Buenos Aires. Vance called him “one of the only true statesmen in Europe.” He told the crowd: “The president loves you, and so do I.”

Let the picture form in its full, grotesque clarity: the President threatens civilizational annihilation in the Middle East; his administration starves Cuba into submission in the Caribbean; and the Vice President campaigns for a Putin-aligned autocrat in Central Europe. This is the foreign policy of the United States of America in April 2026.

Think of what America has surrendered. Not just its credibility — though that is gone, shredded on the altar of impulsive cruelty. Not just its alliances — though Great Britain has already refused to allow U.S. forces to use its bases for strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure. What has been surrendered is something harder to rebuild: the moral authority that once allowed Americans to look themselves in the mirror and believe, however imperfectly, that their country stood for something beyond raw power.

The United States once led the prosecution of war criminals at Nuremberg. It helped write the Geneva Conventions. It accused Russia of war crimes for bombing Ukraine’s power plants and civilian infrastructure. It now threatens to do the same — and worse — to Iran. It blockades Cuba with a ferocity designed to produce, in the words of its own historical policy documents, “hunger and desperation.”

History will not forget this. History will not forgive it.

The Iranian people are forming human chains around their power plants as you read this. They are not shields for a regime they may despise. They are mothers and students and doctors and poets, standing in front of the machinery of modern life and saying: do not do this. We exist. We are civilization too.

In Cuba, a diabetic grandmother waits for power to return so she can refrigerate her medicine. A child leaves for school without breakfast. A farmer watches his harvest rot in a field he cannot reach.

We should bear witness to all of them. And we should ask ourselves, with urgency and without comfort, what kind of country we have become — and what kind we still have the courage to be.

We cannot stay silent.
Contact your Members of Congress: Trump’s war on Iran must be stopped.
Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
This main line can connect you directly to any Senator’s or Representative’s office. Be prepared to provide your ZIP code to identify your representative.

Ted Lewis
Co-Executive Director
Global Exchange

Written by Ted Lewis.

Epic Fury, Domestic Decay: The War on Iran as a Tool to Eviscerate Democracy

The blackened skylines of Tehran and the smoldering ruins of Beirut are more than just the markers of a new Middle Eastern war; they are the smoke signals of a dying American democracy. As “Operation Epic Fury” accelerates, we are witnessing a terrifying historical first: a major regional conflict launched without a coherent rationale, sustained by the personal survival instincts of its architects, and used as a blunt instrument to dismantle the rule of law at home.

The Strategic Vacuum

The most contemporary “stupidity” of this conflict is its utter lack of an endgame. We are told this is about “security,” yet every missile fired into Lebanon and Iran ensures a century of instability. To upend the global order on a midnight whim—without a defined metric for victory or a structural plan for the “morning after”—is not statecraft. It is a nihilistic tantrum with a multi-billion-dollar price tag, a war whose only clear objective is the continuation of the war itself.

A Partnership of Criminality

The fundamental immorality of this campaign is laid bare by the motives of its drivers. By tethering American military might to Benjamin Netanyahu, the United States has become a silent partner in a campaign of personal preservation. Netanyahu, desperately clinging to power to evade his own corruption trials, views regional bloodletting as a convenient shield against a prison cell.

When a leader uses the lives of soldiers to stay in office, it ceases to be “defense” and becomes a high crime. The United States is no longer merely supporting an ally; we are subsidizing the venal desperation of a premier who treats global stability as an acceptable sacrifice for his own immunity.

The Foreseeable Ruin

There is no “fog of war” here—only the blinding light of ignored warnings. The “oil shock” currently destabilizing the global economy was a mathematical certainty. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz was the inevitable first move on the Iranian chessboard, yet the administration acted as if it were a surprise.

Perhaps the most cynical casualty of this “Fury,” however, is the Iranian people themselves. For years, they were fed the hollow oxygen of Western encouragement, urged by successive administrations to “rise up” and reclaim their future from a theological cage. Yet, as the missiles fall, that encouragement has revealed itself as a cruel bait-and-switch.

By pivoting from supporting internal democratic aspirations to unleashing brutal destruction, we have effectively abandoned the Iranian street. They are now trapped in a lethal pincer movement of history: haunted by an emboldened, vengeful regime at home and a “liberation” from abroad that offers only the smoldering peace of a graveyard. We aren’t breaking their chains; we are collapsing the ceiling on their heads.

Similarly, the expansion into Lebanon was entirely telegraphed. The two bloody attacks on Lebanon this month—specifically the systematic bombing of the al-Qard al-Hassan branches—were designed to bankrupt the civilian poor and trigger a mass exodus of nearly a million people. To claim this is “surgical” is a lie; it is the intentional demolition of a sovereign nation’s social fabric.

The War at Home: No Kings, No War

In the past, the American people were the final check on the madness of unpopular wars. From Vietnam to Iraq, the moral clarity of the public eventually broke the momentum of the state. But today, the challenge of ending the war is inextricably linked to the survival of our own democracy.

Under the current administration, the traditional avenues for dissent are being systematically paved over. With Donald Trump’s ongoing attempts to eviscerate the rule of law and dismantle democratic institutions, the war abroad serves as the perfect fog to hide the decay at home. When the executive branch views the Constitution as an “interference” with “Epic Fury,” the fight for peace becomes a fight for the Republic itself.

This is why the “No Kings” marches on March 28 are no longer just a protest against domestic overreach—they are a desperate plea for global sanity. To march on the 28th is to declare that we will not be ruled by a commander-in-chief who treats the world as a personal chessboard and the law as a mere suggestion.

The Bitter Truth: We cannot stop the fires in the Middle East while the arsonists are dismantling the fire department at home. On March 28, the message must be singular and deafening: Yes to democracy, No to war. Ending this conflict requires us to remember that we are a nation of laws, not a kingdom of whims. To save the world from this fury, we must first end the regime that unleashed it.

This Sunday, March 8, Colombians will return to the polls to elect a new Congress, marking the official start of the country’s 2026 electoral cycle.

More than 40 million citizens are eligible to vote, both inside the country and abroad. Their decisions will shape the composition of the legislature for the 2026–2030 term and begin to define the political field ahead of the presidential race scheduled for May 31.

But this vote is not taking place under ordinary circumstances. Colombians will cast their ballots amid ongoing security concerns, political tensions, and a series of structural challenges that continue to test the resilience of one of Latin America’s most enduring yet deeply strained democracies.

What Colombians Will Vote For on March 8, 2026

On Sunday, March 8, Colombians will elect a new Congress while also participating in presidential primaries organized by three political coalitions.

Unlike presidential elections, where the winner is determined by a simple majority, congressional elections in Colombia follow a more complex system that includes electoral thresholds and formulas for allocating seats. Receiving a large number of votes does not automatically guarantee a seat in Congress.

For these elections, political parties registered ten open lists and six closed lists. There are 3,231 candidates in total seeking seats in Congress.

In open lists, voters select individual candidates within a party list. The candidates who receive the most personal votes obtain the seats won by that party.

In closed lists, the party establishes the order of candidates in advance. Voters support the party list as a whole, and seats are assigned according to that predetermined order.

This distinction plays a major role in determining who ultimately reaches Congress.

How the Next Congress Will Be Chosen

Senate

During this election, Colombians will elect 102 senators through popular vote.

One hundred senators are chosen through a national constituency, meaning party lists compete across the entire country.
Two additional seats are reserved for Indigenous communities.
Colombia’s Constitution also guarantees a Senate seat for the presidential candidate who finishes second in the presidential election.

As a result, the Senate will ultimately be composed of 103 members for the 2026–2030 term.

House of Representatives

Voters will also elect 183 members of the House of Representatives.

These seats are distributed across several constituencies.

161 representatives are elected through territorial districts across Colombia’s departments and the capital city of Bogotá.
Sixteen seats correspond to the Special Transitional Peace Districts, created to represent communities most affected by the armed conflict.
Additional special seats include two for Afro-Colombian communities, one for Indigenous communities, one for the Raizal community of San Andrés, and one for Colombians living abroad.
Another seat will be granted to the vice presidential candidate who finishes second in the presidential election.

Together, these representatives will shape Colombia’s legislative branch for the next four years.

Presidential Primaries

Alongside the congressional elections, three political coalitions will hold presidential primaries.

These primaries allow voters to help select the candidate who will represent each coalition in the presidential election scheduled for May 31.

Voting in a primary is voluntary. Participating in one does not obligate voters to support that candidate later in the presidential race.

The winners of these primaries will move forward to compete in the first round of the presidential election alongside several candidates who are running independently. Among the most visible candidates currently shaping the national debate are Iván Cepeda and Abelardo de la Espriella.

A Turning Point for the Peace Agreement

This congressional election carries particular historical significance because it marks a new phase in the implementation of Colombia’s 2016 Peace Agreement.

In 2016 Colombia signed a historic peace accord with the FARC guerrilla group, formally ending more than five decades of armed conflict that caused approximately 450,000 deaths and millions of victims of displacement, forced disappearance, and systematic violence.

As part of the agreement, a transitional political participation mechanism guaranteed ten seats in Congress to the political party created by former FARC members, today known as the Comunes party. These seats were guaranteed for two legislative periods.

The 2026 elections mark the first time those guaranteed seats will no longer be automatically assigned. Members of the Comunes party must now compete for representation through the popular vote like all other political parties. For many former combatants, this transition has been extremely difficult. The political participation of former peace signatories has been severely affected by targeted killings of regional leaders and persistent insecurity in several parts of the country.

A second key element of the peace agreement also reaches a turning point in this election.

The agreement created another temporary mechanism known as the Special Transitional Peace Districts, or CITREP. These sixteen seats in the House of Representatives were designed to guarantee political representation for communities most affected by the armed conflict.

Candidates for these seats cannot be backed by traditional political parties. Instead, they must be endorsed by social organizations representing victims and local communities. Their mandate is temporary. The upcoming legislative term will be the second and final period for these seats. After 2030, these communities will no longer have guaranteed representation in Congress.

For many observers, this vote represents a final opportunity to assess whether these mechanisms of political inclusion have fulfilled their intended purpose.

The significance of the CITREP becomes clearer when looking at what is happening in regions such as Montes de María.

A powerful example can be found in the article “The Last Heartbeat of Peace in Colombia’s Montes de María.” In the piece we accompany Aura Camargo and Geovaldis González, victims of the conflict and Afro-campesino leaders running for these peace seats.

What is happening in Montes de María shows how democracy in Colombia is being defended from the community level despite violence, neglect, and unequal political conditions. It also offers an important cross-border lesson. Across many regions of the world, democratic resilience depends on grassroots organizing, solidarity networks, and local leadership.

The article is highly recommended reading for those seeking to better understand the stakes of Colombia’s current political moment.

Voting Amid Security Risks and Political Tension

Colombians will cast their ballots amid several overlapping challenges.

The national human rights ombudsman’s office has warned that electoral risks persist in areas where illegal armed groups maintain territorial control. In some regions these groups have established forms of illegal governance, regulating political campaigns and even vetoing certain candidates.

Political tensions have also intensified. President Gustavo Petro recently revived debate about electoral transparency by warning about potential risks of fraud in the upcoming elections. His concerns focus on the functioning of the electoral pre-counting system and the traceability of votes from polling stations to the final count.

These concerns echo controversies from the 2022 elections. At that time, after irregularities were detected in the preliminary vote count, the governing coalition organized a nationwide effort to review vote tallies. In the days that followed, approximately 389,000 additional votes were recovered, allowing the coalition to gain three additional seats in Congress.

The renewed debate has added another layer of uncertainty to an already polarized political climate.

A Test for Colombia’s Democracy

Despite these pressures, Colombians will once again go to the polls.

The March 8 vote will launch a decisive electoral cycle that will determine the country’s political direction for the coming years. It will also test the resilience of democratic participation in a nation where armed violence, social inequality, and political polarization remain part of the political landscape.

The elections are also unfolding in a complex international context. In early February, President Gustavo Petro visited Donald Trump at the White House. While the meeting was cordial and resulted in agreements, and relations between the two countries appear stable, Colombia’s electoral process will also be shaped by broader geopolitical dynamics.

Across Latin America, concerns about external influence in democratic processes have intensified. Countries such as Venezuela, Panama, Honduras, and Argentina have experienced varying forms of U.S. political influence and interference under the framework of the Donroe Doctrine, which reflects the continuing impact of U.S. strategic interests in the region. In this context, Colombia’s elections will also serve as a test of how the country navigates its democratic process amid regional pressures and longstanding geopolitical dynamics.

This Sunday, and in the months ahead, Colombians will decide not only who governs, but also how the country continues to navigate peace implementation, democratic representation, and its place within a changing regional landscape.

Colombians will vote in the middle of uncertainty.

And in doing so, they will once again demonstrate a defining feature of Colombia’s political life: despite conflict, inequality, and persistent pressures on its institutions, the country continues to resolve its political struggles at the ballot box.

For observers beyond Colombia, this election will offer an important measure of how one of Latin America’s most enduring democracies confronts a moment of transition.

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Global Exchange Statement on Illegal War on Iran

February 28, 2026

Global Exchange stands in fierce opposition to the recent joint military strikes launched by the Trump administration and Israel against Iran. This escalation is not only a flagrant violation of international law and the U.S. Constitution but a direct assault on the global movement for peace and self-determination.

The Hypocrisy of “Strongman” Diplomacy

The current administration’s path to war is paved with documented contradictions. In 2011, Donald Trump repeatedly attacked the Obama administration, claiming a war would only be started by a leader who was “weak,” “ineffective,” and “had no ability to negotiate.”

Today, that projection has become policy. After claiming in June 2025 that he had already “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, the President is now launching a “massive and ongoing” campaign against those same targets. This logic is a circle: if the previous attacks were successful, this war is unnecessary; if they weren’t, the public has been systematically misled.

An Illegal War of Choice

Article I of the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution are clear: the power to declare war belongs to the people’s representatives in Congress, not the executive branch. These strikes are:

Unauthorized: No new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) has been debated or passed.

A Violation of Sovereignty: This is a reckless war of choice aimed at regime change, bypassing active diplomacy and risking a regional catastrophe that will claim countless lives.

Human Rights Are Not a Pretext for Bombs

Global Exchange has long stood with the Iranian people in their struggle against internal repression. However, history proves that American bombs do not “deliver” human rights—they deliver humanitarian disaster and strengthen hardliners. We reject the cynical use of Iranian suffering as a marketing tool for military interventionism that only serves to further destabilize the Middle East.

Resisting the Theocratic Agenda at Home

We recognize that the violence exported abroad is inextricably linked to the repression being built at home. The thirst for conflict in Iran is mirrored by the administration’s attempt to dismantle our secular democracy and replace it with a Christian nationalist theocracy. We cannot allow the drums of war to drown out the urgent need to protect our own civil liberties, the separation of church and state, and the right to dissent.

Conclusion

Global Exchange calls on our supporters and the international community to demand an immediate ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table. We call on Congress to assert its constitutional authority and pass a War Powers Resolution to halt these unauthorized hostilities. True security is built through diplomacy and justice, not through illegal wars and domestic repression.

Take Action: Congress must act to stop this illegal escalation.

Contact your Representative and Senators and demand they support a War Powers Resolution to halt unauthorized military action against Iran. Tell Congress: No War on Iran! Contact your member here.

The lights are going out in Cuba, and instead of relief, Washington is talking about takeover.

Earlier today, President Donald Trump suggested that the United States might pursue a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, claiming the country has “no money, no oil, no food.” This language, layered atop intensified sanctions and fuel restrictions, signals a dangerous escalation.

At the same time, tightened restrictions on fuel and energy imports have severely strained Cuba’s electricity grid. Blackouts are spreading. Hospitals are operating under extreme pressure. Transportation and food distribution systems are destabilized. These measures have real, immediate human consequences.

Cuba needs an end to the U.S. Blockade. Cuba does not need a U.S. takeover.

We refuse to stand by while economic warfare deepens and a nation’s sovereignty is undermined.

That is why we are organizing a solidarity delegation to Havana from March 18–23 to deliver aid and join the Nuestra América Convoy on March 21.

There are still a few spaces available to travel with us. Learn more here.

Traveling with Global Exchange means delivering humanitarian aid directly to the Cuban people, engaging with health workers, educators, and community leaders, and witnessing firsthand the impacts of sanctions and fuel shortages. It means standing for sovereignty, dignity, and self-determination at a critical moment.

Our friends in Cuba are asking us to come and bear witness at a moment when isolation is being weaponized against them. Join the Global Exchange delegation.

If you cannot travel, your solidarity is still urgently needed.

Global Exchange is mobilizing a humanitarian aid campaign to send essential supplies and funds with the convoy. When power grids collapse, intensive care units are at risk. When fuel disappears, food distribution breaks down, and entire neighborhoods are plunged into darkness. These policies are designed to create pressure through deprivation. Your contribution helps us counter that pressure with solidarity, material support, and presence.

Donate to support humanitarian aid with Global Exchange.

For nearly 40 years, Global Exchange has brought people to Cuba to break the isolation imposed by the U.S. blockade and to build direct, people-to-people ties across borders. That commitment remains firm.

We are returning to Cuba in April, in June, and again in September with additional solidarity delegations — with more to follow. We are organizing monthly humanitarian shipments to ensure that material support continues beyond any single visit.

We will keep showing up, in solidarity.

Do you know someone looking for a mid- spring/summer internship in D.C.?

Join the Global Exchange and Stop US Arms to Mexico teams as an Advocacy Intern, and gain:

An understanding of politics, social issues, and human rights in Latin America.
Exposure to how Congress works and how foreign policy is made.
Experience working in a professional environment through the lens of an international nonprofit.
Skills in online grassroots political organizing.

Requirements

Be an undergraduate junior or senior.
Bilingual (Spanish and English), reading, writing, and speaking.
Flexible schedule (8 to 15 hours per week)
Submit your resume, a sample social media post, and 250 words explaining why you’re a good fit for the internship to: tania@globalexchange.org
Although not required, there’s a preference for candidates in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area due to the nature of advocacy work.

Non-negotiables

Passionate about standing up for global human rights, especially in Latin America (with a special interest in immigration, gun violence prevention, environmental rights, or trade accountability).
Demonstrated organizational and communication skills.
The candidate need not be from a top school, as long as they have a strong work ethic and punctuality.

Sample Tasks

Attend virtual meetings and take notes in English or Spanish.
Create social media posts using Canva or CapCut.
Track legislation relevant to gun violence prevention and U.S-Mexico relations.
If based in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area, sporadically attend rallies, vigils, and protests with the Advocacy Coordinator.

Key Dates

Deadline to apply is March 9th, 2026.
Flexible start date, preference for a mid-March start date; however, there’s an expectation that the internship will run for at least 3 months.

Unfortunately, the internship is not paid. We recognize that this may be a barrier to applicants. We offer extensive mentorship and connections to our large network of allied organizations.

Written by Marco Castillo
Co-Executive Director, Global Exchange

After more than 120 million people worldwide watched a proud Puerto Rican take over the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show, Latin American journalists, commentators, and millions of social media users described it as an act of cultural defiance. An all-Spanish performance, rooted in Caribbean rhythms and unapologetically Latin, was widely read as a response to the anti-immigrant, anti-Latino rhetoric that has dominated U.S. political discourse in recent years.

The backlash was immediate. Conservative commentators and U.S. officials reacted with predictable outrage. Even Donald Trump joined the chorus, attacking the performance as “divisive” and questioning why English was not centered. For migrants, for people across Latin America, and for Latinxs in the United States, the night felt like something rare: joy, visibility, and symbolic revenge.

But what we felt that night must not end when the lights go out.

For the NFL and the massive industries behind the Super Bowl, counterculture is profitable. Rebellion, when carefully curated, becomes part of the show. For thirteen minutes, the system allows the marginalized to dance on its stage—to be angry, loud, and even “criminal”—as long as nothing structural changes. We’ve seen this before: during the Black Lives Matter uprisings and in moments of social explosion later absorbed, neutralized, and sold back to us as proof that “freedom of expression is alive.”

The reality is that the United States depends on Latin America—on its labor, its resources, its migrants, its culture—to function. And that same United States is actively sustaining a humanitarian crisis affecting more than 10 million people in Cuba.

Cuba’s future belongs to Cubans. It will not be shaped by siege, coercion, or economic punishment. Respect for sovereignty and self-determination is not a radical demand; it is a basic principle of international law.

The U.S. embargo, widely condemned by the United Nations year after year, has severely restricted access to food, medicine, fuel, medical equipment, and basic infrastructure. In recent years, additional sanctions have further limited access to remittances, banking systems, and humanitarian trade, deepening shortages that impact ordinary families, hospitals, and schools.

Scarcity may be engineered. Culture refuses to starve. So yes, let’s dance. Turn up Bad Bunny.

As Alice Walker reminds us, “Hard times require furious dancing.” Joy is survival. Culture is resistance. It lives in our music, our language, our bodies taking up space.

But let’s not confuse curated visibility with sovereignty.

A halftime show can feel radical and still be meticulously controlled—bold enough to trend, safe enough for corporate sponsorship.

We cannot applaud representation while hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans are detained, incarcerated, or deported by U.S. authorities every year. And we cannot applaud a halftime spectacle while the United States intensifies an economic siege on Cuba—deliberately tightening restrictions that deprive hospitals of medicine, schools of resources, and families of basic necessities.

Latin Americans in the United States now face a choice. This moment can fade into nostalgia—or it can become a turning point. We can transform that historic halftime performance into a movement: one that demands respect for Latin American people and culture not just on stages and screens, but in policy and practice. A movement that insists no nation has the right to decide the fate of another by force. A movement grounded in the simple truth that societies only thrive when they honor everyone’s contribution.

So let’s organize.
Let’s march.
Let’s make phone calls, pressure representatives, and build coalitions across borders.
Let’s end the racist, deadly, anti-Latin American embargo against Cuba.

As Bad Bunny himself has said:

“Yo no le debo nada a nadie. Yo canto lo que soy.”

If that is true, then it’s time for us to live up to it—not just by celebrating who we are, but by fighting for how we live, and for the dignity of our people everywhere.

A Reality Tour into Afro-Peruvian History, Resistance, and Heart

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Peru?

For most people, it is the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu or the ancient legacy of the Incas. Those places are breathtaking, and we stood there in total awe ourselves.

But Peru’s story does not begin or end there.

There is another history, just as deep and foundational, that rarely receives the attention it deserves: the history of Afro-Peruvians. Descendants of Africans brought to Peru in chains beginning in the 1500s, Afro-Peruvians today make up roughly four percent of the population. Their contributions are woven into the very fabric of the country, yet their legacy is frequently erased or pushed to the margins.

From December 12 to 23, 2025, Global Exchange brought a group of Morehouse College students, staff, and faculty to Peru on a Reality Tour to meet this history head-on. This journey was not about chasing postcard views. It was about listening, connecting, and engaging with Afro-Peruvian communities in the most grounded and human way possible.

Our days were spent sitting in family homes, dancing in community centers, asking questions, sharing laughter, and listening to stories from people whose ancestors helped build the Peru we know today. The trip placed us in direct and reciprocal conversation with historians, artists, organizers, families, and youth leaders. We learned not by observing from a distance, but by being fully present, listening deeply, and allowing lived experience to reshape our understanding.

The voices we encountered were extraordinary. Scholars offered sharp historical and political insight, while community members shared personal and ancestral truths. Together, they revealed a fuller picture of Afro-Peruvian history, from enslavement and resistance to the central role Afro-Peruvians played in Peru’s independence, as well as the ongoing realities of structural racism and exclusion today. Time and again, both guests and Morehouse students reflected on how eye-opening it was to recognize just how essential Afro-Peruvian labor, resistance, and creativity have been to Peru’s development, and how urgently these contributions deserve to be centered in the national narrative.

Culture was never treated as entertainment. It was approached as knowledge, as memory, and as resistance. At the Amador Ballumbrosio Cultural Center in El Carmen, we did not simply observe traditions; we participated in them. We learned zapateo, felt the heartbeat of the cajón, and experienced the powerful blending of African and Andean roots through music, dance, and food. These were not performances, but living practices carefully guarded and passed down through generations. Museums, historic neighborhoods, photography exhibits, and storytelling sessions all revealed how culture becomes a profound act of resistance, dignity, and political expression.

Some of the most unforgettable moments unfolded inside family homes. In San Luis de Cañete, Afro-Peruvian mothers welcomed us into their kitchens, guiding us through cherished recipes while sharing stories of their families and communities. Hours of chopping, stirring, tasting, and talking created a rare intimacy, one no classroom could replicate and one that is difficult to put into words. We did not just learn about Afro-Peruvian culture and history; we were welcomed into it. Many students later described this experience as one of the most meaningful and memorable moments of the entire journey.

That deep engagement with history continued during our visit to a former plantation, Hacienda San José, and to a nearby cemetery where the remains of enslaved Africans were uncovered after a 2019 earthquake. Accompanied by archaeologist Lucho Santa Cruz, we learned how the community chose to confront this painful discovery rather than conceal it, leading to the creation of a virtual museum dedicated to memory, reflection, and anti-racist education. The visit also highlighted the vitality of Afro-Peruvian culture through religious devotions that blend African, Indigenous, and Catholic traditions, including those honoring the Virgen Efigenia and San Martín de Porras.

In Lima, our experience was shaped by a wide range of encounters. Meetings with grassroots organizations working with Afro-Peruvian youth and children illuminated persistent challenges of poverty and exclusion, alongside the creativity and resilience of young people organizing through culture, education, and political action. We attended a screening of Monteagudo, the first short film directed by an Afro-Peruvian filmmaker, Roberto Chévez, which reclaims a forgotten figure from the independence era. We also joined gatherings hosted by AfroCentro, spaces created to celebrate Peruvian Blackness and collective pride, and experienced El Respinguete, where women from the legendary Vásquez family hosted us for a Creole lunch, games, live music, and dance, all rooted in cultural traditions preserved by figures such as Nicomedes and Victoria Santa Cruz.

What made this tour especially powerful was the way the Morehouse students showed up. They listened closely, asked thoughtful questions, and formed genuine connections with the people sharing their stories. That presence, paired with the tour’s intentional design, created a rare balance between structured learning and spontaneous moments, academic insight and community wisdom, reflection and active participation. Each day moved us through classrooms, cultural centers, family homes, and organizing spaces, and every setting allowed for depth rather than surface-level engagement.

The communities we visited felt that respect and openness. They welcomed us with warmth and generosity, transforming what could have been a one-way visit into a true exchange rooted in mutual recognition and care.

Above all, students came away with a deeper understanding of how interconnected our struggles and strengths truly are. They saw how global forces shape local lives, and how ordinary people continue to organize, create, resist, and build in the face of injustice. That understanding is the foundation of solidarity.

Since 1988, Global Exchange Reality Tours have been grounded in a simple belief: travel can be profoundly educational and ethically rooted when it centers solidarity rather than spectacle.

If you are looking for travel that goes beyond beautiful places, experiences that challenge you, connect you with people doing meaningful work, and leave you changed and ready to act, Global Exchange Reality Tours offer that opportunity.

Written by Dayana Mosquera.

The killing of Alex Pretti demands more than condemnation — it demands accountability and an end to ICE’s reign of violence. Pretti, a Veteran’s Administration ICU nurse and community member, was volunteering in sub-zero Minneapolis cold because he cared deeply about his neighbors — just as he did, for the critically ill patients he served every day. He was murdered by masked federal officers while documenting and seconds before his death, supporting women being harassed by ICE. His death is the latest in a string of deadly enforcement actions by ICE and Border Patrol in Minnesota, exposing the human cost of a system built on force, fear, and punishment

Everything about ICE’s presence in our communities is violent. Raids, armed patrols, home invasions, and surveillance are not about safety — they are about control. ICE operates within a broader system of militarized enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security that relies on force, fear, and impunity instead of care, accountability, or human dignity.

None of this is accidental. It is the system working as designed. We cannot accept this violence as normal or inevitable. We must act — now.

Take Action (Even If You’re Outside Minnesota)

1. Contact Your U.S. Senators
This week, the Senate will vote on Department of Homeland Security funding. Senators face a clear choice: continue funding ICE and Border Patrol’s violence, or refuse to give these agencies another dollar to terrorize communities.

Email your senators today and demand they:

Vote NO on any DHS funding bill that increases or preserves funding for ICE and CBP
Use their power to rein in these agencies and halt deadly enforcement operations

2. Support Mutual Aid & Community Care in Minnesota

ICE raids don’t just harm individuals — they destabilize families, workplaces, and entire neighborhoods. Mutual aid and community care are critical right now to meet immediate needs like food, housing, legal support, childcare, and transportation.

Community Resource Hubs

Stand With Minnesota
A Minnesota-built, constantly updated resource hub connecting people to mutual aid funds, legal support, food assistance, rent help, and volunteer opportunities.
https://www.standwithminnesota.com
MPLS Mutual Aid
A central hub for Minneapolis-based mutual aid efforts, including food distribution, support groups, and collaboration links.
https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid
MN NOICE
A searchable statewide directory of organizations supporting immigrants and refugees across Minnesota.
https://mnnoice.com

Legal Support & Advocacy

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
Provides free immigration legal services to Minnesota families, individuals, and asylum seekers.
https://www.immigrantlawcenter.org
ACLU of Minnesota
Defends civil liberties and constitutional rights, including immigrant rights and due process protections.
https://www.aclu-mn.org/
Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM)
A faith-based coalition focused on advocacy, education, and community action supporting immigrant justice.
https://mnicom.org

Food Distribution, Drop-Offs & Community Support

Community Aid Network MN (CANMN)
Organizes weekly free food distributions across the Twin Cities and coordinates volunteers.
https://www.canmn.org
Parents for Good — Anoka-Hennepin
Community-led mutual aid and family support organizing donation drives and drop-off efforts.
https://www.facebook.com/parentsforgood
Bad Wolf Adventure Studios (Coon Rapids)
A local community space that has served as a donation drop-off point during mutual aid efforts. Confirm current needs before dropping off.
https://badwolfadventurestudios.com
Metta Coffee (Anoka)
Collecting donations such as shelf-stable food, baby formula, and menstrual products.
215 E Main St, Anoka, MN
https://www.mettacoffee.com
Pow Wow Grounds
A Native-owned community space supporting Indigenous and neighboring communities through pantry services, fundraising, and resource mobilization.
https://powwowgrounds.com
International Institute of Minnesota
Offers legal services, resettlement assistance, employment support, and volunteer opportunities for immigrants and refugees.
https://www.iimm.org/volunteer/

3. Build Community Defense Where You Live

ICE terror does not stop at state lines.

Support immigrant-led mutual aid in your own community
Participate in Know Your Rights or legal observer trainings
Help build rapid response networks to support neighbors facing raids or detention

This violence is not inevitable — it is a choice, funded and enforced by policy. But so is care. So is solidarity. So is resistance. Together, we can refuse a system built on fear and demand one rooted in safety, dignity, and collective care. Take action today and stand with our communities.

This week, the Trump administration transitioned what was originally presented as a Gaza-specific reconstruction effort into a permanent, global institution. Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have officially launched the “Board of Peace,” a body that now claims a mandate far beyond the borders of Gaza, aiming to rewrite the rules of international diplomacy and “good governance” worldwide.

We believe it is critical to look closely at the structure of this board, the price of its seats, and the specific interests it is designed to serve. This is not a humanitarian initiative; it is the formalization of a “pay-to-play” global order led by actors who prioritize private profit and executive power over human rights and international law.

A Global Power Grab Under the Guise of “Peace”
The Board of Peace is no longer just about rebuilding a war-torn enclave. Its recently circulated charter reveals an ambition to operate in parallel—or even in opposition—to the United Nations. Chaired by Donald Trump himself, the board grants him the unilateral power to set agendas, invite members, and issue resolutions.

Perhaps most alarming is the $1 billion price tag for influence. While countries can join for three-year terms at the Chairman’s discretion, a $1 billion “cash contribution” secures a permanent seat on the board. This effectively puts global peace-making up for sale to the highest bidders, ensuring that only the wealthiest nations and elites have a permanent say in the fate of “reconstructed” nations.

The New Face of the Board: Expansion and Elites
The board has expanded its ranks, further cementing a coalition of financial titans, political insiders, and controversial world leaders.

Key Members of the Executive Board:

Donald Trump (Chairman): Holds absolute authority over membership and strategy, treating global stability as a transactional real estate deal.
Marco Rubio (U.S. Secretary of State): A staunch advocate for unconditional support of current Israeli policy, now tasked with “operationalizing” the board’s vision.
Ajay Banga (President of the World Bank): His inclusion signals the intent to leverage international financial institutions to back the board’s private-sector-first agenda.
Robert Gabriel (Deputy National Security Adviser): A key architect of the administration’s “New Gaza” vision.

The “Gaza Executive Board” (Operational Arm):

Tony Blair (Former UK Prime Minister): Blair’s inclusion is perhaps the most chilling signal of the board’s true nature. As a principal architect of the 2003 Iraq War and the policy of “regime change,” his involvement suggests a return to interventionist strategies that prioritize the dismantling of states over the protection of people. His legacy of destabilizing the Middle East through unilateral military action stands in direct opposition to a genuine peace process.
Jared Kushner: Recently presented “New Gaza” mock-ups at Davos featuring luxury high-rises and “coastal tourism” zones, viewing the ruins of Gaza primarily as “valuable waterfront property.”
Hakan Fidan (Turkish Foreign Minister): Represents a shift toward incorporating regional powers into the deal-making structure, despite a history of domestic repression.
Marc Rowan (CEO, Apollo Global Management): A private equity billionaire whose firm specializes in distressed assets, raising fears that reconstruction is being treated as a “market opportunity.”
What This Tells Us

This expanded board reflects a worldview where:

Sovereignty Is a Commodity: Permanent influence is bought for $1 billion, not earned through a commitment to human rights.
Reconstruction Is Gentrification: The “New Gaza” vision prioritizes luxury tourism and investment zones over the right of return for displaced survivors.
Accountability Is Optional: By creating a body that operates outside the UN and staffing it with those who have historically bypassed international law, the board seeks to insulate itself from legal and moral scrutiny.

Global Exchange’s Position
We reject a “peace” that is auctioned off to billionaires and political loyalists. A just and lasting peace cannot be built on $1 billion buy-ins or luxury real estate mock-ups; it must be grounded in human rights and international law, with accountability for all parties—not just those who can’t afford a seat on the board. It must center genuine Palestinian sovereignty, ensuring that Palestinians lead their own recovery rather than being treated as “passive recipients” of a master plan designed in Mar-a-Lago or Davos. And it must uphold public accountability, with reconstruction funds serving the people rather than generating returns for private equity firms.

Global Exchange will continue to name these power dynamics clearly. We are working with our partners on the ground to monitor how this “Board” attempts to bypass local leadership and international standards.

Thank you for standing with us against the commodification of peace.