‘Death’ and ‘Mass Murder’: Abby Martin on U.S. Policy Toward Cuba

Zeteo host Mehdi Hasan interviews US journalist and documentarian Abby Martin about her Cuba film, "Cuba After Castro", and US policy towards the island. Martin argues Americans are “grossly misinformed” about Cuba and attributes the country’s economic hardship primarily to decades of US embargo and sanctions, including measures imposed under Donald Trump and maintained under Joe Biden. She alleges severe humanitarian consequences, citing long electricity outages, difficulty obtaining medicines and medical technology, and claiming that since 2019 “1,800 Cuban infants have died” and that radiotherapy needs are going unmet.

Hasan presses Martin on Cuba’s one-party system and on statements made by President Miguel Díaz-Canel in her interview, including his claim that no one is imprisoned for practising journalism; Hasan cites reporting from press-freedom groups alleging jailed journalists. Martin says she asked critical questions in the interview but argues Cuba’s political system cannot be separated from what she describes as siege conditions and long-running US efforts to foment unrest.

The conversation widens to Israel/Palestine and Martin’s earlier documentary work on Gaza. She says the scale of destruction in Gaza has surpassed what she expected, and recalls filming Israelis in Jerusalem in 2017 expressing anti-Arab views on camera, which she characterises as evidence of deeper societal hostility predating 7 October. Martin ends by describing international solidarity movements as a source of hope and points to left-wing electoral organising in the US.

• Abby Martin argues Cuba’s current economic and infrastructure crisis is primarily driven by the US embargo and sanctions.
• Martin alleges significant public-health impacts from sanctions, including claims of rising infant mortality and shortages of radiotherapy access.
• Mehdi Hasan challenges statements made by Cuba’s president in Martin’s interview, citing reports of jailed journalists and disputing claims about press freedom.
• Martin says she understands why Cuba has not adopted a multi-party system, describing the country as under siege.
• The discussion shifts to Gaza; Martin says the world can no longer claim ignorance about Israel’s actions and US support.
• Martin recalls 2017 street interviews in Jerusalem where Israelis expressed anti-Arab rhetoric on camera, which she says reflected a broader societal attitude.
• Martin cites global protests and US left-wing organising as grounds for optimism despite what she calls a bleak political moment.