Newly revealed documents reveal that MI5 taught Brazilian secret police the techniques deployed by the 1964-85 military dictatorship in horrific prisons like Rio de Janeiro’s House of Death. SARA VIVACQUA reports
LIKE many on November 3, I looked on appalled but unsurprised as the US once again opposed the UN General Assembly’s resolution condemning the blockade on Cuba. While it is encouraging that 185 countries voted in favour of the resolution, this now marks the 30th time that the UN has rebuked this decades-long policy to no avail.
Of course, the US and Israel voted against it, while Brazil and Ukraine abstained. It should be stated outright that this is shameful and there is no justification for the US’s brazen abuse.
The US first imposed the blockade in 1960 following the revolution and the rebel army’s seizure of power from the US-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Ever since, Cuba has flouted supposed economic and social rules and defied expectations.
CLAUDIA WEBBE says the US is tightening the noose to destroy Cuban socialism — the need for immediate, international solidarity is urgent
On January 29, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat’ to US national security and tightened the blockade against the island nation MANOLO DE LOS SANTOS reports
Where normally only the US and its ally Israel vote to strangle Cuba economically, there have been special efforts to slander and isolate the besieged socialist island nation year — so we must redouble our solidarity, writes TARIQ ANDERSON
While ordinary Americans were suffering in the wake of 2005’s deadly hurricane, the Bush administration was more concerned with maintaining its anti-Cuba stance than with saving lives, writes MANOLO DE LOS SANTOS



