[a video about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]
Despite the U.S. oil blockade to Cuba, Cuban authorities say they will remain resolute in protecting the national security of both Cuba and the United States, arguing that the two countries share common threats: drug trafficking, smuggling and terrorism.
“They need to understand that destabilizing a country just 90 miles from the United States would ultimately create a problem for them. But it seems to me that the ones most concerned about what happens in Cuba are officials in the U.S. government.,” said Chief of Cuba's Border Guard.
For decades, Cuba has cooperated with the United States on counternarcotics and counterterrorism efforts. In fact, the State Department’s 2024 annual counter-narcotics report recognized Cuba as an effective regional partner in fighting drug trafficking.
But last year, the chapter on Cuba was removed from the latest U.S. report without public explanation, a move Cuban officials describe as politically motivated.