Defending the Cuban Revolution with David Ramírez Álvarez

<p>In this episode, I’m joined by David Ramírez Álvarez, Second Secretary and cultural attaché at the Embassy of Cuba to the United States in Washington, D.C., to talk about the history of Cuba’s socialist revolution and the ongoing fight to defend it in the face of escalating imperialist aggression from the United States. We discuss the history and effects of the blockade, the current situation on the ground in Cuba, and the successes and challenges of building a revolutionary society under siege, as well as the importance of international solidarity from those of us who are located in the belly of the beast.</p><p><strong>About the show:</strong></p><p><em>Return to Bandung</em> is hosted by Pranay Somayajula, an Indian-American writer, researcher, and organizer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His work explores themes of diaspora, (inter)nationalism, anticolonial politics, and the many lives and afterlives of empire. You can learn more about Pranay and read his writing on his <a href="https://www.pranaysomayajula.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">website</a>, as well as on his Substack blog, <a href="https://www.culture-shock.xyz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><em>culture shock</em></a>.</p><p><strong>Support </strong><em><strong>Return to Bandung</strong></em><strong>:</strong></p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave a review or rating, and subscribe to the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! If you’re able, please also consider supporting my work—which encompasses both my writing and this podcast, as well as various other political education projects by signing up as a paid subscriber to my Substack or making a one-off contribution:</p><ul><li><p><a href="http://www.culture-shock.xyz/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Become a paid Substack subscriber</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/returntobandung" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Buy Me a Coffee</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>Sources and helpful links:</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1958-60v06/d499" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Mallory Memorandum</a> (April 1960)</p></li><li><p>Anna Heikkinen — <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/feb/18/us-sanctions-power-cuts-climate-crisis-why-cuba-is-betting-on-renewables" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">US sanctions, power cuts, climate crisis: why Cuba is betting on renewables</a> (<em>The Guardian</em>, February 2026)</p></li><li><p>Nicole Acevedo, Carmen Sesin and Orlando Matos — <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/cuba/diaz-canel-invasion-trump-nbc-news-interview-rcna273638" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cuba’s president says ‘we would die’ to defend against U.S. invasion</a> (<em>NBC News</em>, April 2026)</p></li><li><p>Cheyanne M. Daniels — <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/22/cuban-military-aggression-foreign-minister-00839400" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cuban military is ‘prepared’ for potential US aggression, deputy foreign minister says</a> (<em>Politico</em>, March 2026)</p></li><li><p>Fidel Castro — <a href="https://platypus1917.org/wp-content/uploads/SKM_C554e18013016480.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">speech to the Cultural Congress of Havana</a> (January 1968)</p></li></ul><p><strong>Social links:</strong></p><p>Return to Bandung:</p><ul><li><p>Twitter: <a href="https://x.com/ReturnToBandung" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">⁠twitter.com/returntobandung⁠</a></p></li><li><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/returntobandung/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">⁠instagram.com/returntobandung</a></p></li></ul><p>Pranay Somayajula:</p><ul><li><p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/p_somayajula" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">⁠twitter.com/p_