Garfield L. Angus
March 24, 2026
The Caribbean has long been a crucible of resistance, dignity, and painful contradictions. Few nations embody this paradox more profoundly than Haiti and Cuba, two islands forged in the fires of anti-colonial struggle, yet now standing precariously at the edge of social and economic collapse. Their present realities, marked by instability, scarcity, and external pressure, raise a deeply unsettling question: are these nations being forced, through a combination of internal failures and external coercion, toward destruction?
To understand the gravity of the moment, one must begin with history. Haiti’s birth in 1804 remains one of the most extraordinary events in human civilisation. The Haitian Revolution was the only successful slave revolt in history to result in the founding of a free state. Enslaved Africans defeated the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte and declared themselves free, striking a blow not only against France but against the entire system of chattel slavery.
Haiti’s revolution sent shockwaves across the Caribbean and the Americas, particularly to Cuba, where plantation elites, terrified of similar uprisings, doubled down on slavery and repression. Cuba’s trajectory unfolded differently, yet it too was shaped by resistance. As a colony of Spain, Cuba became one of the last bastions of slavery in the Americas. The Haitian Revolution indirectly fueled Cuba’s sugar boom, as displaced French planters and capital flooded the island, intensifying exploitation.
But Cuba would eventually rise in defiance. The Cuban Revolution, led by Fidel Castro, sought to dismantle a system of inequality, foreign domination, and elite control. Like Haiti before it, Cuba aimed to chart an independent path, rooted in sovereignty and social justice, yet the cost of defiance has been staggering for both nations.
Haiti, the world’s first Black republic, was punished almost immediately for its audacity. In 1825, France demanded an indemnity, essentially a ransom, for recognising Haiti’s independence. This debt crippled Haiti’s economy for over a century, draining resources that could have been invested in infrastructure, education, and development. The legacy of this extraction still lingers today, compounded by cycles of political instability, foreign intervention, and natural disasters.
But Haiti’s tragedy is not solely the result of historical injustice. The internal dynamics of power have played a devastating role. A small, entrenched elite has long dominated the nation’s economic and political systems, often prioritising personal enrichment over national development. In recent decades, this elite has allegedly relied on armed groups to maintain control, creating a symbiotic relationship between wealth and violence.
These criminal networks, once instruments of power, have metastasised into uncontrollable forces, plunging the country into chaos. Today, Haiti is gripped by insecurity, with gangs controlling large swathes of territory, crippling governance, and suffocating hope. Cuba’s struggle, while less violent internally, has been no less severe in its consequences. Since the early 1960s, the United States has imposed a comprehensive economic embargo on the island, following the alignment of Castro’s Government with the then Soviet Union. The United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly voted overwhelmingly to condemn this embargo, calling for its end. Yet the policy remains in place, shaping every aspect of Cuban life.
The embargo has severely restricted Cuba’s access to international markets, financial systems, and essential goods. While Cuba has made notable achievements in healthcare and education, these successes exist alongside chronic shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. In recent years, economic conditions have deteriorated further, exacerbated by the collapse of tourism during global crises and tightening U.S. sanctions. The result is a population increasingly strained, with many Cubans choosing to migrate in search of better opportunities.
Critics of the Cuban Government argue that not all of the island’s problems can be attributed to external pressure. They point to inefficiencies in the state-controlled economy, lack of political freedoms, and resistance to market reforms. Countries like China and Vietnam have demonstrated that hybrid economic models, combining state oversight with market mechanisms, can yield significant growth. Cuba’s slower pace of reform has arguably limited its ability to adapt to a changing global economy.
However, to ignore the impact of sustained economic isolation would be disingenuous. The embargo is not merely a policy disagreement; it is a structural constraint that shapes the island’s possibilities. It raises fundamental questions about sovereignty and the ethics of economic warfare. Can a nation truly develop when its access to trade and finance is systematically restricted? And at what point does pressure become punishment?
What binds Haiti and Cuba, beyond geography, is a shared legacy of resistance, and a shared burden of consequence. Both nations dared to challenge systems of domination, and both have faced relentless obstacles in the aftermath. Yet their current crises also reflect divergent internal realities. Haiti’s collapse is marked by fragmentation and lawlessness, while Cuba’s is defined by rigidity and external constraint.
The notion of “forced destruction” is complex. It is tempting to attribute Haiti’s plight entirely to its predatory elite or Cuba’s struggles solely to US policy. But the truth lies in the intersection of internal and external forces. Haiti’s governance failures have been exacerbated by historical exploitation and inconsistent international engagement. Cuba’s economic stagnation is both a product of policy choices and the suffocating effects of the US embargo.
Still, there is a moral dimension that cannot be ignored. The international community, particularly powerful nations, bears responsibility for the conditions they help create or sustain. The continued isolation of Cuba, despite near-universal condemnation at the United Nations, reflects a troubling disregard for multilateral consensus. Similarly, the lack of a coherent, sustained strategy to support Haiti’s stabilisation raises questions about global priorities and commitments.
There is also a deeper, more uncomfortable truth: the Caribbean, despite its rich history and cultural vibrancy, often exists on the periphery of global concern. Crises in Haiti and Cuba rarely command the sustained attention given to conflicts elsewhere. This marginalisation compounds their challenges, allowing systemic issues to fester without adequate intervention or investment.
Yet despair is not the only narrative available. Both Haiti and Cuba possess immense reservoirs of resilience. Haiti’s cultural heritage, from its art to its spirituality, reflects a people who have endured unimaginable hardship yet continue to create and resist. Cuba’s achievements in medicine and education demonstrate the potential of a society committed to human development, even under constraint.
The path forward requires honesty and courage. For Haiti, this means confronting the entrenched power structures that have undermined governance, while building institutions capable of restoring security and trust. It also demands sustained, respectful international support, that empowers rather than dictates.
For Cuba, the challenge is twofold: navigating the realities of external pressure while embracing reforms that can unlock economic potential without sacrificing social gains. At the same time, the global community must reckon with the ethics and effectiveness of the embargo, recognising that prolonged hardship for ordinary citizens cannot be a viable path to political change.
Ultimately, the stories of Haiti and Cuba are not just regional concerns; they are global lessons. They force us to confront uncomfortable questions about power, justice, and the cost of independence. They remind us that the struggle against oppression does not end with liberation, it evolves, often in ways that are just as challenging and consequential.
As these two nations stand at the edge of uncertainty, the world faces a choice: to remain passive observers of their decline or to engage with the seriousness and solidarity their histories demand. The fate of Haiti and Cuba should not be one of quiet abandonment or coerced collapse. Instead, it should be a call to action, a reminder that the ideals of freedom and dignity, once fought for so fiercely, must be defended with equal resolve in the present.
Garfield L. Angus is a Senior Journalist based in Jamaica.
Email your opinions, letters and commentaries to: letters@caribmagplus.com