The US blockade doesn't believe in life or dreams; nor in the elderly, women, children, or adolescents. We are all victims of the consequences of decades of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade initiated by US President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

So many generations have lived with these restrictions for so many years that those of us born in the 1990s and living on the island can't imagine what a prosperous Cuba, without walls, without restrictions, without sanctions, and without shortages, would be like.

We have experienced both greater and lesser difficulties; however, despite the numerous sanctions imposed practically since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the government's social program has always managed to flourish amidst so much adversity.

Literacy was achieved, a free and widespread education program was extended to all cities and rural areas, and in the areas of science and health, innovation and progress never faltered. The brilliance of Cuban vaccines and treatments for so many diseases transcends borders.

We have been a humble people, but with great talent, vocation, and a strong desire to move forward with unwavering determination that cannot be broken or sold out. This is precisely what keeps us standing, facing many challenges, but remaining steadfast in thought and action.

However, President Donald Trump's political maneuvering against Cuba since his first term in 2017 has mercilessly strangled us. It began with attacks on key sectors like tourism, with restrictions on cruise ships, and the domino effect is impacting all areas.

This June 1st, World Children's Day, we wanted to celebrate the greatness of our children with joy, stories, love, and hugs, but we also wanted to denounce the criminal acts being committed against their development, growth, leisure, education, and health.

In Cuba, children suffer from the fuel blockade; they cannot enjoy television, rest with a fan or air conditioning in this hot climate, and the accumulated fatigue affects their learning. Their food cannot be properly refrigerated and preserved. Fuel shortages affect almost every aspect of modern life.

But if we think back a step further, the damage begins as early as pregnancy. It's equally true that access to tests and analyses during the three trimesters of pregnancy is becoming increasingly difficult due to the lack of reagents and medical supplies.

Ultrasound machines are few and far between, and most are not state-of-the-art; the most advanced equipment has been prioritized for major hospitals. The blockade also hinders access to vitamins and foods, such as fruits, vegetables, proteins, and milk, which are essential for fetal development.

This chain of key processes sadly culminates in a phenomenon no one wants to experience within their family: infant mortality.

The news outlet Rebelión published a study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), in which researchers Alex Main, Joe Sammut, Mark Weisbrot, and Guillaume Long reveal how, between 2018-2025, infant mortality in Cuba has increased by 148% since Trump's first term.

“During that period, the United States’ coercive, economic, and unilateral measures against Cuba were substantially tightened by President Trump and then remained almost entirely in place during President Biden’s term before being reinforced again during Trump’s second term.”

“If Cuba’s infant mortality rate had remained stable over the past eight years, the deaths of approximately 1,800 babies would not have occurred,” the study warns.

Most distressingly, these specialists believe that the energy blockade, which began in December 2025, will further increase the number of newborn deaths. “The question is how many more babies will have to die before the current economic siege against Cuba ends,” Main stated.

Cuba’s infant mortality rate has shown positive figures internationally, as it has remained low for years compared to other countries in the Americas and even the United States.

However, "the blockade has had a particularly serious effect on medical and healthcare infrastructure, as frequent blackouts disrupt the use of key equipment for patient treatment, including incubators for premature babies and ventilators that help sick newborns breathe," argued Guillaume Long, author of the report.

Newborns, children, pregnant women, and the sick in Cuba are the front line, the most vulnerable, of the economic harassment and war without bombs that the U.S. government is waging against the Cuban people.

No child in this world deserves such cruelty, such abuse against the innocence and fragility of childhood. Children in Cuba are born to be loved and to live in complete harmony, in accordance with their rights. Cuban children have been suffering for years from the great evil of this harsh U.S. blockade, and it’s time to stop this injustice.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff