The US Blockades What Countries?

CUBA: The US blockade is like a medieval siege and cost the Cuban economy $154 billion over 60 years. Trump and Biden put Cuba on the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list (along with Iran, Syria, North Korea), making it even more difficult for Cuba to acquire goods on the international market as fuel, food, construction supplies, and medicine, and to receive aid after hurricanes and the pandemic. This has led to the most serious humanitarian crisis in the revolution’s history. See ifco.org, codepink.org, acere.org

NORTH KOREA: The US blockade on North Korea began in 1950, the longest of any. In 2018, UNICEF reported 200,000 North Korean children suffer from acute malnutrition; new sanctions put 60,000 of these vulnerable children at risk of starvation due to blocked humanitarian aid. In 2022, the UN stated 41% of the population was food insecure, in large part because the US interferes with food aid and acquiring agricultural inputs. The sanctions continue to cause a high rate of infant and maternal deaths. kpolicy.org, womencrossdmz.org, nodutdol.org, koreapeacenow.org

VENEZUELA:  The US blockade, the seizure of billions of dollars of Venezuelan assets overseas, seizure of CITGO, and the blocking of Venezuela’s oil exports, led to a 99% drop in government income, causing food shortages and devastating the country’s health sector. CEPR.net found that in 2017-2018, sanctions caused 40,000 excess deaths, and over 100,000 by 2021. As the case with Cuba, sanctions are a main driver of Venezuelan migration to the US. venezuelasolidaritynetwork.org, orinocotribune.com

IRAN: US sanctions began with the 1979 revolution. As with Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea and Syria, the US blocks Iran from the US dominated world financial and banking system. This deprives Iran from tens of billions of dollars of income by cutting access to international trade. Sanctions lead to high rates of unemployment and inflation, resulting in the deaths of thousands and impoverishment of millions of Iranians. The UN Human Rights Council reported delivery of medicines, medical equipment, and food to Iran was severely undermined by sanctions, particularly hurting people with “severe diseases, disabled people, Afghan refugees, women-led households and children.” presstv.ir

AFGHANISTAN: After US left Afghanistan, it blocked funds to the new government, paralyzing the Afghan banking system. The US has frozen $9.4 billion of Afghan assets overseas, while the UN reports over 50% of Afghans will face “emergency” levels of acute food insecurity, including over 3 million children under 5 years. Today more than 29 million people (out of 41 million) are in need of humanitarian assistance. Around 4 million pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children under 5 years, suffered from acute malnutrition in 2023. Blocking funds from the Taliban and cutting foreign aid worsens the famine in Afghanistan.

SYRIA:  The US military controls northeastern Syria, a significant part of Syria’s oil fields and wheat production. The US has plundered more than 80% of Syria’s oil production and sells its grain harvest. Before Syria was a wheat exporter, now 55% of the population is food insecure. US and European sanctions prevent Damascus from importing essential staples to feed its population. This has worsened the blockade on the Syrian people, who are going through one of the most severe living, economic, and health crises in their modern history. Today, 90% of Syria’s population live below the poverty line, with limited access to food, water, electricity, shelter, fuel, and healthcare. syriasupportmovement.org

NICARAGUA: While not yet a blockade, like the US imposed on Nicaragua in the 1980s, sanctions have caused Nicaragua to lose over $2.5 billion between 2018-23 in funding from the World Bank, International Development Bank and IMF. This impacted infrastructure projects, child nutrition, development programs, and access to safe drinking water. A new sanctions bill, S.1881, following the NICA and RENACER Acts, would cripple Nicaragua’s economy and reverse progress in reducing poverty. This new bill was reintroduced to punish Nicaragua after it took Germany to the International Court of Justice for its military support for Israeli genocide in Gaza. nicasolidarity.com

In addition, the US economic sanctions on 33 other countries, including 15 in Africa.

Russia is the most sanctioned country, but this backfired, causing serious economic damage to European NATO countries.

ChicagoALBASolidarity.org, ChicagoALBASolidarity@gmail.com