An American activist who supports the Cuban regime recently stated on the Cuban television program "Cuadrando la Caja" that young Americans are becoming increasingly "radicalized" and are showing more interest in the Cuban economic model. She portrayed it as a successful example despite facing numerous sanctions.
Brenda López, co-founder of the "Hands Off Cuba" committee and a resident of Oakland, California, made her comments during an episode broadcast around May Day, hosted by Marxlenin Pérez Valdés, a Marxism professor at the University of Havana.
"People are getting radicalized, they're asking questions they weren't asking before," said the activist. López elaborated on how her organization uses protests against deportations to make ideological connections.
"With the committee, more people are interested in Cuba knowing they have a different economy (...) We try to make these connections so that people learn there are other ways to do things, and besides that, there’s a place like Cuba, where they’ve been doing it successfully, even though they’ve had all these sanctions for so many years," López claimed.
López, 30, also pointed out that only 5% of the U.S. population is unionized, blaming this decline on Reagan-era policies. She compared the situation of the homeless in Los Angeles, particularly in the Skid Row area, with what she has seen in Cuba, asserting that the situation in the U.S. is "far more critical."
"Another thing that always surprises me is when I hear, 'Oh, things are critical in Cuba, there are many people living on the streets,' but what I see where I live is far more critical than what I've seen on all my visits to Cuba," she declared.
However, her statements completely overlook the humanitarian crisis in Cuba: prolonged blackouts, chronic food shortages, wages that do not cover basic needs, and a mass exodus with hundreds of thousands of Cubans emigrating to the U.S. in recent years.
The program "Cuadrando la Caja" has often been criticized as a propaganda tool for the regime. In December 2025, it sparked outrage by suggesting that Cubans should avoid eating rice and potatoes because they are not native foods, leading to a wave of criticism.
This Wednesday, Pérez Valdés's comments about the international working class once again stirred reactions on Cuban social media, where users pointed out the contradiction of a regime official expressing concern for global workers while Cubans live in dire conditions. "In any other country, workers earn more than in Cuba," they wrote.
The pro-Cuba activism in the United States that López represents is not new. It has historical roots in the Venceremos Brigade of the 1960s and 70s, described as a Cuban intelligence influence operation to indoctrinate young American activists.
Last March, the so-called Our America Convoy arrived in Havana with around 650 people from 33 countries, including figures like Jeremy Corbyn and Pablo Iglesias, and was welcomed by Díaz-Canel.
Journalist Yoani Sánchez, director of 14ymedio, responded at the time with a phrase summarizing the contradiction López embodies: "We are not a theme park. Go do ideological tourism elsewhere. We are suffering here."
Exploring the Radicalization of American Youth and Cuban Influence
What are the reasons behind the radicalization of U.S. youth?
The radicalization of U.S. youth can be attributed to various factors, including economic disparities, political dissatisfaction, and a search for alternative models to address societal issues.
Why is there growing interest in the Cuban economic model?
Interest in the Cuban economic model is growing among some groups due to its portrayal as an alternative system that has survived despite sanctions, offering a different approach to economic and social organization.
How does the situation of homelessness in the U.S. compare to Cuba?
Brenda López argues that homelessness in areas like Skid Row in Los Angeles is more severe than in Cuba, although this perspective does not account for the broader humanitarian challenges faced by Cubans.