Washington Post Editorial Board Calls Left-Wing Figures Who Traveled To Cuba To Protest U.S. Blockade 'Useful Idiots'

The Washington Post's editorial board called left-wing figures from around the world who traveled to Cuba to protest the U.S.'s blockade preventing the island from getting fuel "useful idiots," saying the best way to help the country is "freeing them from a dictatorship that has failed to meet their needs for more than half a century."

The board went on to mock the group, saying "nothing says solidarity like going to an impoverished country and staying at a five-star hotel.

The group included Former British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, the daughter of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, Irish music group Kneecap and influencer Hasan Piker. The board said that the group only began caring about Cubans "now that they have an excuse to rail against America." "The schtick might have been more convincing without the parties," it concluded.

In the meantime, the country continues to go through an economic collapse marked by periodic, nation-wide blackouts.

Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos Espiñeira, a Havana-based economist, recently told the LA Times that the country is approaching its "worst moment in history" amid soaring inflation, declining public services and long-standing structural weaknesses.

According to Cuban authorities, the country has not received foreign fuel supplies for three months and currently produces only about 40% of the energy it needs, as Al Jazeera points out.The consequences are visible across sectors. Hospitals have been forced to cancel procedures, transportation has slowed due to fuel shortages and food distribution has been disrupted.

Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said over the weekend that the government is preparing for potential escalation following recent U.S. rhetoric, though he noted such scenarios are not considered likely. "We would be naive if we do not prepare," he said.

Expectations are put on two tankers believed to be carrying Russian oil that are heading to the island.

CNN reported that the Anatoly Kolodkin, which has been sanctioned by the U.S., the UK and the EU is carrying 730,000 barrels of Russian oil and is heading to Matanzas. It departed from Russia in early March and is now in the middle of the Atlantic.

The vessel joined the Sea Horse, which this week resumed navigation to the island after diverting course in February. The vessel is believed to be carrying some 200,000 barrels of gas oil.