Despite economic reforms and anti-corruption initiatives pursued by Fidel Castro’s successors, the kleptocracy established in the country’s 1959 communist revolution persists. Front companies controlled by the military and security services continue to dominate the Cuban economy. Although the regime blames US sanctions for the island’s ongoing economic and humanitarian crisis, recent reporting suggests that these regime-connected entities have illicitly hoarded billions of dollars.
While the secretive nature of Cuba’s regime means that the inner workings of its kleptocracy are not widely understood, the costs of corruption are fully apparent to Cuba’s population. Nationwide protests in recent years suggest that the regime’s kleptocracy, once a tool for entrenching its power, now undermines its legitimacy and has become a major vulnerability.
As the Trump administration indicates a “tough” new approach toward Havana, join Hudson for an expert discussion on how kleptocracy operates in Cuba and its implications for American policy.
Join Hudson for a discussion with Sir Iain on the economic, political, and security measures the US and its allies need to take to defeat the rising authoritarian axis.
Join Keystone Defense Initiative Director Rebeccah Heinrichs for a conversation with Hammer about the book and the future of US-Israel relations.
Former policymakers and leading national security experts will join Hudson to assess how China’s growing influence is reshaping the regional order—and how the US should respond.
