The analysis, authored by Alexander Main, Joe Sammut, Mark Weisbrot, and Guillaume Long, documents a shift from a historical baseline of 4–5 deaths per 1,000 live births to 9.9 deaths by 2025. This increase reverses years of progress that once placed Cuba among the top nations for child health outcomes. Experts point to the degradation of healthcare infrastructure as a direct consequence of the policy, citing how persistent power outages cripple life-saving equipment like ventilators and incubators.
The Impact of Maximum Pressure
Beyond technical failures, the report details how the administration's 'maximum pressure' strategy has choked the island's economy. Restrictions on tourism, remittances, and international financial access, coupled with a fuel blockade preventing Venezuelan oil shipments, have created an energy emergency that leaves hospitals struggling to maintain basic services. Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the CEPR, argues that these measures function as collective punishment, targeting civilian welfare to provoke regime change.
While the United Nations has condemned the blockade 33 times, current geopolitical tensions are escalating. Reports suggest the Pentagon is preparing for potential military engagement, prompting U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff, and Ruben Gallego to introduce a war powers resolution to curb unilateral executive action. The move follows similar legislative failures regarding military maneuvers in Iran and Venezuela, highlighting a deepening divide over the legality of the ongoing economic siege.
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