The United States has exhibited a high degree of aggression toward Cuba since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, encompassing economic, military, covert, and political measures aimed at isolating, destabilizing, or overthrowing the Cuban government. This hostility stems from ideological differences during the Cold War, with Cuba aligning with the Soviet Union, and has persisted into the post-Cold War era despite periodic diplomatic thaws. Below, I'll outline the key forms and examples of this aggression, followed by the international community's perspective.

Economic Aggression

The cornerstone of U.S. policy has been the comprehensive economic embargo, initiated in 1960 under President Eisenhower and expanded over decades. Often referred to as a "blockade" by Cuba, it prohibits most trade, financial transactions, and travel between the U.S. and Cuba, with extraterritorial effects that penalize third-country entities doing business with Cuba. This has caused an estimated $144 billion in damages to Cuba's economy (adjusted for inflation) and is designed to create hardship and pressure for regime change. Key escalations include:

• The 1992 Cuban Democracy Act (Torricelli Act), which tightened restrictions on foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies.
• The 1996 Helms-Burton Act, which allows lawsuits against companies using property confiscated by Cuba post-1959, further alienating international partners.

The embargo remains in place as of 2026, requiring congressional approval to fully lift, and has been reinforced under recent administrations - such as Trump's 2017-2021 rollback of Obama-era normalizations and re-designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism in 2021, which Biden largely maintained.

Military and Overt Aggression

Direct military actions peaked in the early 1960s but set a tone of confrontation:

• The 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, where the CIA trained and armed Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro, resulting in a humiliating U.S.-backed failure and over 1,000 invaders captured.
• The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, triggered by Soviet missiles in Cuba as a deterrent to U.S. threats; the U.S. imposed a naval blockade (quarantine), which Khrushchev labeled an "act of aggression," bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. The U.S. also pledged not to invade Cuba as part of the resolution, but tensions lingered.

These events were part of broader U.S. interventions in Latin America, including support for anti-Castro forces and proxy actions.

Covert and Subversive Aggression

The U.S. engaged in extensive clandestine operations:

• Operation Mongoose (1961-1963), a CIA program involving sabotage, psychological warfare, and assassination plots against Castro - declassified documents reveal at least eight attempts, including exploding cigars and poisoned wetsuits.
• Funding for dissident groups and propaganda via Radio/TV Mart, aimed at fomenting internal unrest.
• Cyber and intelligence operations, such as the 2010 ZunZuneo "Cuban Twitter" project to stir dissent.

Cuba has consistently framed these as acts of "imperialist aggression," a view echoed in Castro's 1960 speeches decrying U.S. provocations.

The aggressiveness has varied: intense in the 1960s, somewhat eased during dtente periods (e.g., Obama's 2014-2016 normalization, restoring diplomatic ties), but resurgent under Trump and sustained under Biden amid Cuba's economic crises and protests. As of early 2026, U.S. policies continue to restrict remittances, travel, and oil supplies, exacerbating Cuba's hardships amid global events like the Ukraine war affecting allies like Russia and Venezuela.

International Community's Perspective

The global view is overwhelmingly critical of U.S. actions, particularly the embargo, which is seen as a unilateral, extraterritorial measure violating international law, free trade principles, and Cuba's sovereignty. The United Nations General Assembly has condemned the embargo annually since 1992, with near-unanimous votes in favor of resolutions calling for its end:

• In 2025, 165 countries voted to demand an end to the embargo, with only the U.S. and Israel opposing, and 12 abstaining; this amid shifting alliances but consistent global opposition.
• In 2024, the vote was 187-2 (U.S. and Israel against), highlighting the embargo's role in isolating the U.S. diplomatically rather than Cuba.
• Similar patterns hold for prior years, like 187-2 in 2023.

The European Union, for instance, has stated that the embargo has a "damaging impact" on Cuba's economy and negatively affects EU-Cuba relations. Latin American countries, during events like the Cuban Missile Crisis, defended Cuba's right to self-defense and alliances, viewing U.S. actions as hegemonic. Overall, the international consensus frames the U.S. embargo as ineffective, counterproductive, and a relic of Cold War animosity that harms ordinary Cubans while failing to achieve democratic reforms. Cuba leverages these votes for propaganda, portraying itself as a victim of U.S. imperialism.