On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with Professor Walter Turner and Corina Nolet of Global Exchange for a timely and urgent conversation about Cuba, the tightening U.S. blockade, and the broader assault taking place across the Caribbean and Latin America.
Davey D opened by pushing back against the mainstream framing of Cuba as a failed state deserving of punishment. Instead, he described the current crisis as something rooted in disinformation, gaslighting, and a long history of U.S. hostility toward a nation that has supported liberation struggles around the world.
Walter Turner grounded the discussion historically, recalling the Black Panther Party’s 1969 United Front Against Fascism conference in Oakland and linking that spirit of international solidarity to the present moment. He argued that much of the rhetoric about Cuba ignores its global role in supporting anti colonial and anti apartheid struggles, especially in Africa. Turner reminded listeners that Cuba’s contributions to countries like Angola, Namibia, and South Africa have been deliberately erased from public memory.
Corina Nolet gave a stark picture of conditions on the ground, describing Cuba’s situation as a man made humanitarian crisis caused by more than six decades of economic warfare. She explained that the blockade has cut deeply into everyday life, creating shortages in fuel, food, and medicine while pushing hospitals and basic services to the breaking point. Nolet stressed that what is happening is not the result of Cuban incompetence, but of deliberate strangulation. She pointed to rising dengue cases, childhood cancer deaths, and shortages of essential medical supplies as proof that the blockade is costing lives.
The guests also challenged the idea that U.S. intervention is wanted by Cubans. Nolet made a distinction between voices amplified in Miami and the people actually living on the island, saying Cubans in Cuba do not want a U.S. takeover. Both guests described the blockade as a violation of human rights and international law.
The conversation closed with a call to action. Nolet outlined Global Exchange’s solidarity work, including humanitarian aid shipments and support for the Nuestra America Convoy. Turner and Davey D both emphasized that this is bigger than Cuba. It is about whether people will accept domination, disinformation, and collective punishment, or stand up for human rights, self determination, and global solidarity.