Manolo de los Santos, co-executive director of The People's Forum and contributor to the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, remarked on the Cuban government's official podcast "Es la Idea" that the United States' political, economic, and social model has been outdated for decades.
This statement was made during the third episode of the show, produced by Cubadebate—a news portal aligned with the regime—and scheduled to premiere in April 2026.
"It's a system that fails to meet the basic needs of millions across the nation," De los Santos elaborated in a segment shared by Cubadebate on its social media platforms.
These comments come at a time when Cuba is grappling with one of its most severe economic and energy crises in decades, experiencing power outages lasting up to twenty hours a day, widespread shortages of food and medicine, and an unprecedented wave of emigration.
De los Santos has a well-documented history of supporting the Cuban regime. This month, he participated in the V International Colloquium "Patria con Fidel," held from April 16 to 18 in Havana and organized by the Union of Cuban Journalists, the ideological arm of the Communist Party.
During the event, attended by figures like Miguel Díaz-Canel, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, and the PCC's organizational secretary Roberto Morales Ojeda, De los Santos argued that Cuba is the place where such debates can happen. In March 2026, he was part of the Nuestra América Convoy, which delivered over 20 tons of aid to Cuba, seizing the opportunity to claim that the U.S. embargo prevents the Cuban government from freely purchasing medicine and food.
However, U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba totaled $476.1 million in fiscal year 2025, up from $398.9 million in fiscal year 2024, contradicting this narrative.
Journalist and activist Yoani Sánchez responded harshly to the convoy's visits: "We are not a theme park. Go do ideological tourism elsewhere. Here, we are suffering."
The People's Forum, led by De los Santos, has been under scrutiny by the U.S. Congress. The House Ways and Means Committee reported in September 2025 that public records indicated the organization received over $20 million from Neville Roy Singham between 2017 and 2022 through a network of entities, raising concerns about its tax-exempt status and potential foreign funding links.
The Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, with which De los Santos collaborates, draws inspiration from the Tricontinental Conference held in Havana in 1966, organized by Fidel Castro's government to support anti-imperialist revolutionary movements.
Cuba ranks 165th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, scoring a mere 26.03 out of 100, making it one of the most repressive environments for journalists worldwide.
Insights into U.S. and Cuba Relations
What did Manolo de los Santos claim about the U.S. model?
Manolo de los Santos claimed that the U.S. political, economic, and social model has been exhausted for decades and fails to meet the basic needs of millions.
How is Cuba currently managing its economic crisis?
Cuba is experiencing severe economic challenges, with extensive power outages, food and medicine shortages, and a significant wave of emigration.
What are the allegations against The People's Forum?
The People's Forum has been scrutinized for allegedly receiving over $20 million from Neville Roy Singham through various entities, raising questions about its tax-exempt status and connections to foreign funding.