Oct 15
Havana’s Axis of Evil
America faces many national security problems: From China, Iran, and a revanchist Russia to the race for AI and quantum supremacy, the list is extensive. But one threat that is often overlooked is Cuba. Surely this tiny island state can’t compare to the threat of a power like China. Yet, in a recent report, the State Department dubbed Cuba the “capital of 21st-century communism.” Cuba, a revolutionary vanguard, poses a great threat to US national security, both geographically and ideologically.
Havana’s communist regime promotes a dangerous set of beliefs that are antithetical to human flourishing and America’s founding principles. Communism calls for the abolition of private property, free markets, and the family—foundational pillars for the United States. Havana’s outward ambition began in 1966 when Cuba hosted dozens of anti-Western and anti-capitalist representatives from across the globe. This Tricontinental Conference began Cuba’s legacy as the vanguard of “anti-imperialist” struggle.
Cuba’s proximity allows it to spread its ideology into the United States. Havana has long targeted radical students and youth. In the 1960s, leaders from the Black Panthers and the Weather Underground made pilgrimages to the island to visit with Havana’s revolutionary figures. Today, Cuba continues to poison America’s youth, targeting anti-imperialist, socialist, and communist sympathizers to visit the island. This ideological infiltration of America extends into intelligence services, including the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and the CIA. Also among Cuba’s ranks are an advisor to NYC mayor, Zohran Mamdani, and the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass.
America isn’t the only target on Cuba’s radar—it’s also fellow travelers who are enemies of the United States. The Soviet Union and, more recently, the Chinese Communist Party have used Cuba as a foothold to gain access to the United States. In 1962, the Soviets used Cuba as a base for nuclear missile launch sites. In what became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the world teetered on the brink of all-out nuclear war. For nine months in 1962, the Soviets were secretly building nuclear missile launch sites in Cuba. When an American spy plane finally discovered the launch sites in October, President Kennedy promptly imposed a naval blockade of Cuba. At the height of the Crisis, October 27th, a Soviet submarine captain came to the brink of launching a nuclear missile at American warships.
In 2024, a fleet of Russian warships spent five days in Havana’s harbor following planned military drills in the Atlantic Ocean. The Russian fleet was welcomed with a 21-gun salute and a visit from Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel. The Cuban Missile Crisis, which began 64 years ago today, serves as a stark reminder: Cuba is not just indifferent to the United States; it is actively belligerent. Havana is opportunistic; it will provide America’s enemies with any and every opportunity to gain a foothold in the Western Hemisphere.
After the Cold War ended, Beijing filled the void Moscow left. In the 1990s, Chinese General Chi Haotian met with Cuba’s then-defense minister, Raul Castro, and over the next 40 years, Havana and Beijing would build strong diplomatic ties. Recently, the Center for Strategic & International Studies released a report documenting images of multiple Chinese signal intelligence bases in Cuba. The CCP’s listening facilities can intercept signals from civilian and military communications. Cuba sits just 90 miles from some of America’s biggest military bases, and for the SIGINT sites to be effective, location is key: the closer, the better.
So yes, Cuba is a national security problem. Cuba, geographically, serves as a hub for other communist governments to take advantage of the island’s proximity to the United States. Havana also uses its proximity to America’s shores to spread revolutionary ideology inside our borders. Havana is a key cog in a broader communist struggle. Its danger is in the rising popularity of the Democratic Socialist Party and in its hospitality towards our enemies. Communism did not end with the Cold War; Cuba is keeping it alive and well in the 21st century.
Haley Smith is an intern at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. All opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or views of the institutions they represent or VOC.
