The restoration of capitalism in Cuba was ignored for almost a week by Solidnet's key party. During this period, it continued to organize "solidarity events". One of its leaders placed Cuba alongside Iran and declared the Iranian regime's "victory" over American imperialism.
Details. The Cuban parliament passed (www.granma.cu/cuba/2026-06-18/comenzo-la-tercera-s…) a sweeping package of laws that completed the transition of the Cuban economy to a capitalist model on June 18. The day before, the Communist Party of Greece – the key party of the Solidnet and European Communist Action – held (inter.kke.gr/en/m-article/Mass-KKE-rally-marks-the…) a rally to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro's birth.
Quote: "We support Cuba and its people in the difficult times it is going through. We defend the Cuban Revolution and fight to end the criminal blockade of American imperialism. We roar 'hands off Cuba.' ... In the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf, a major realignment of forces is being attempted. Americans and Israel seek to control the region rich in raw materials, to shape the so-called new Middle East and to cross the Indian trade route to Europe, in competition with the new Chinese Silk Road. The people of Iran resisted and proved once again that imperialism is not omnipotent!"
► The KKE responded (www.idcommunism.com/2026/06/cuba-approves-economic…) to the legalization of capitalism only on June 25 with a publication in the party newspaper "Rizospastis." It presents a summary of the reforms, composed in the same vague style as the original list. The position itself boils down to a general statement of the "serious dangers" of "the further strengthening of commodity relations and market mechanisms." The paragraph after it effectively undercuts this assertion, calling on communists to continue supporting "the Cuban people," without mentioning the government's role in the restoration of capitalism or what the communist position toward the ruling "Communist Party of Cuba" should be.
► The "International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties" is a broad structure, created and functioning with the active participation of the Communist Party of Greece. It unites groups and organizations that formally identify themselves as Marxist-Leninists. Participants range (www.solidnet.org/links/communist-and-workers-parti…) from the KKE itself and aligned organizations to non-existent, opportunist, or openly imperialist structures, including the "Communist Party of the Russian Federation", the "Communist Party of the United States of America", and the " Communist Party of China". The "IMCWP" is supplemented (www.solidnet.org/home/) by "Solidnet", a media platform created during the first "Meetings" with the goal of exchanging information.
Important to Know. Despite regular statements of support for Cuba for decades, the KKE didn’t produce theoretical materials that contain an objective analysis of the Cuban Revolution, the state of the Cuban economy, or provide a substantiated communist position on it. Among the KKE's allies, one could see (riktpunkt.nu/2023/07/stora-reformer-vantar-kubas-s…) rare occasional (riktpunkt.nu/2026/03/kuba-oppnar-for-investeringar…) news materials pointing (riktpunkt.nu/2022/11/kuba-tar-stallning-for-ryssla…) to the growth of capitalism in Cuba, but they did not contain a direct characterization or assessment of the Cuban regime today.
► The events unfolding in Cuba have effectively called into question the pro-Cuba statements of the IMCWP/Solidnet parties. The Cuban government, with which they had called for solidarity, capitulated to the United States, thereby exposing itself as a defender of the interests of Cuban capital, represented by the state corporation GAESA and private enterprises. It betrayed both Cuban workers and the foreign communists who sincerely supported Cuba's struggle.
► These events demonstrate the importance of a direct, objective analysis of every issue important to modern communists. Only such an analysis can form the basis for any further action, especially in the matter of communist solidarity with one political force or another.
The party of the proletariat must learn to catch every liberal just at the moment when he is prepared to move forward an inch, and make him move forward a yard. If he is obdurate, we will go forward without him and over him. – Vladimir Lenin, Political Agitation and "The Class Point of View".
Starmer resigns as UK Prime Minister. The media has portrayed his 'left' replacement as Lenin. What are his actual policies?
Details. On 22 June, Keir Starmer announced his resignation as Prime Minister. The Labour Party is to open nominations from 9 to 16 July, allowing for a dispute to take place and for the party to have a new leader by the time Parliament returns from recess on 1 September. However, if only one person comes forward, there might be a new leader by mid-July.
► Pressure began in February after it was revealed Starmer had known the ambassador to the US had ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Initially defending the Prime Minister, after a terrible performance in the May local elections – with heavy gains for the populist right Reform UK – there was a party "rebellion", with over 90 Labour MPs calling for his resignation. Even before any official announcement, Donald Trump said Starmer "will resign."
Context. Winning the 2024 election with a “landslide,” Starmer's approval reached a low of 19%. He had promised change from the 14 years of Conservative governance and to serve the working people – even calling himself a socialist.
► His government saw a number of u-turns on controversial policies, such as cuts to winter fuel allowance for pensioners or cuts to disability benefits. His government attempted to pander to the far-right on issues such as immigration and trans-rights, losing much support from the left.
► Labour's promised expansion of workers' rights was delayed and diluted. British workers faced worsening living standards: healthy lifespans shortened, essential goods became less affordable, and the poorest 40% saw falling wages. Recorded cases of modern slavery also reached a record high. Meanwhile, military spending rose to Cold War levels and support for Israel continued despite widespread public opposition. These developments coincided with record trade union membership growth in 2025.
► Labour had previously called for an end to the “chaos” of the Conservative leadership, which went through 5 Prime Ministers between 2016 and 2024. Now, with Labour’s contribution, the UK is set to have its 7th Prime Minister in 10 years. A trend of political crises is observed across the world, such as France and Nepal.
Important to Know. The most likely replacement is the (now former) Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham. His strong victory against Reform in the Makerfield by-election in mid-June made him a popular alternative. Numerous figures were also considered, but the party is still deciding whether someone else should contest to present an image of democratic dispute.
► Burnham has said people "want change" – a motif also used in Starmer’s election campaign. He said Labour must move to the left and that the “underdogs” should be championed. This image is further exaggerated by the media, with him even being referred to as “comrade Burnham,” and his train ride down to Westminster being compared to Lenin's train journey back to Petrograd for the October Revolution.
► However, in many ways he continues Starmer’s policies, such as justifying the far right through curbing immigration, welfare cuts and increased military spending (something many in government wanted more of). He also claims water and utilities should be publicly owned; in reality he means directly owned by the capitalist state, similarly to Starmer’s nationalisation of railways and steel, with profits distributed among the capitalist class while the burden is still borne by workers.
► Burnham does propose some unique policies. Under the umbrella of “Manchesterism,” referred to by him as a “business friendly socialism,” there are measures such as devolution, giving more financial autonomy for cities and shifting power away from London. He also defends proportional representation, as opposed Britain’s first past the post system. This changes the form of government, but does not alter its content, as none of the parties belong to the working class, meaning the state remains a tool for the capitalists.
The restoration of capitalism in Cuba was portrayed as an opportunity to replicate “China's success” by social-chauvinists. Chinese opportunism led to increased exploitation of Chinese workers, enormous inequality and profits for Western corporations.
Details. (d20onx9acoummj.cloudfront.net/2026/06/cuba_china.w…) The narrative of Cuba repeating the "Chinese path to socialism" emerged from the very beginning of the "reforms" that are transforming the Cuban economy into a capitalist one. The connection of the “reforms” with the Chinese experience was declared (www.granma.cu/cuba/2026-06-18/la-realidad-nos-impo…) by the Cuban president Díaz-Canel: "A study has also been carried out on the experiences of socialist construction in other countries such as China and Vietnam...".
► This narrative was then picked up by social-chauvinists. Opportunist "Friends of Socialist China" media portrayed (socialistchina.org/2026/06/25/cubas-economic-refor…) the “reforms” as a good and logical decision: "They are best understood as a defence of socialism under siege, following the strategic logic China has pursued since 1978... “a strategic effort to preserve and deepen the social gains of the Revolution”.
► The official Russian media outlet “RIA Novosti” released (ria.ru/20260623/kuba-2100447674.html) an analytical piece that assessed the reforms as a successful and winning move that would make Cuba practically equal to China in power: “Cuban leaders openly say they intend to follow the Chinese and Vietnamese path... If Cuba succeeds in doing the same, in 15-20 years the island will become the richest and most successful country in the entire Caribbean, leaving most of Latin America behind”.
Context. The Cuban parliament passed (us.politsturm.com/cuba-capitalist-reforms) a sweeping package of laws that completed the transition of the Cuban economy to a capitalist model on June 18. The adoption of these laws consolidates processes that have been unfolding (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained) in Cuba for decades.
Important to Know. Opportunists defending Chinese imperialism emphasize the growth of the economy and gloss over the negative consequences (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFCoW...) of the opportunist policies of Chinese revisionism for the workers of the PRC.
► Historically, the "opening of the country" to foreign capital led to the active import of Western capital. China's leadership artificially kept the cost of Chinese labour low, allowing the Western bourgeoisie to reap super-profits by exploiting the Chinese proletariat. Subsequently, cheap goods produced in Western-owned Chinese factories were used to stifle production of consumer goods in the former Soviet Union.
► Over time, the Chinese bourgeoisie grew stronger and began to exercise greater independence. Using its position as the "factory of the world", China formed its own imperialist bloc and began (us.politsturm.com/the-new-silk-road) economic expansion across the globe. The contradictions between the Chinese and Western imperialist blocs constitute (us.politsturm.com/china-usa-will-there-be-war) the main confrontation on the modern global stage.
► The imposition of capitalism and the associated commodity-money relations, exploitation, social inequality and other disasters done with communist rhetoric and symbols, as it’s performed in the PRC, Vietnam, DPRK and Cuba is a direct deception of the workers.
Communism deprives no man of the power to appropriate the products of society: all that it does is to deprive him of the power to subjugate the labor of others by means of such appropriation. – Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party.
The opening of Cuba to American capital occurred in the spirit of the classic imperialist expansion of XIX-XX centuries. Cuba's leadership revealed the regime's essence as a dictatorship of capital.
Details. During the discussion of “economic reforms”, Cuba’s leadership stated that these measures would “protect socialism” and “maintain state control”. This was intended to create the impression of a gradual retreat. In reality, the "reforms" largely consolidated the existing order of things.
How did Cuba's leadership encourage the growth of capitalism? After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba entered the "Special Period (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained#the-conte…)" and opened to foreign investment to compensate for the loss of Soviet subsidies. Around the end of Fidel Castro's life, at the turn of the 1990s and 2000s, the restoration of capital and the establishment of a bourgeois dictatorship were underway. By 2011, private businesses were permitted to purchase wage-labour.
► In 2016, the Cuban government had already passed a bill legalising small- and medium-sized private businesses. This was a similar formalisation of what already existed in practice: the government was already tolerating a large black market, which then simply became “legal” capitalists. The 2019 constitution (www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_2019) enshrined private property over the means of production and legally guaranteed the rights of capitalists. The private sector (us.politsturm.com/private-sector-dominant-in-cuban…) has expanded in parallel. In 2024, the non-state sector accounted for 55% of retail sales, the first time private capital has surpassed state commerce. Private importers brought in over $1 billion in foreign goods (www.reuters.com/world/americas/first-time-decades-…, a 34% increase year-on-year.
Consistently developing, defending, and strengthening capitalism, the Cuban government transformed itself into a bourgeois dictatorship. The widespread introduction of capitalism, the general growth of private capital, and the transformation of public enterprises into the property of a closed corporation run by military and government functionaries changed the nature of the regime and the balance of class forces. The 2026 reforms and all previous measures cannot be said to be “concessions” extracted under pressure while “protecting workers' interests”. They form part of a consistent policy of cultivating and protecting capitalist interests, whilst subordinating Cuban workers to it.
► Behind the continuing facade of the Cuban Revolution, hiding behind the previous rhetoric and portraits of former leaders, primarily Fidel Castro, a military-bureaucratic elite has emerged, intertwined with a new bourgeoisie that uses state property as private property and continues to govern under socialist rhetoric. This is not a question of "defending the revolution"; the government no longer represents the revolution and the Cuban workers.
► Under a bourgeois dictatorship, state property is, in fact, private property. The state acts as a collective capitalist owner. In this sense, the Cuban regime is very similar to the regimes in China, Vietnam, and North Korea.
How do Cuban opportunists negotiate terms for surrender to the US? The US-Cuba secret negotiations (us.politsturm.com/the-us-and-cuba-begin-official-n…) that began in March 2026 represent a classic imperialist situation. Under pressure (us.politsturm.com/american-imperialism-intensifies…) from a stronger capitalist power – intensified sanctions, fuel shortages, blackouts, and a collapsing economy – Cuba is being forced to submit to a more dominant capitalist power. The goal is to secure the military and economic interests of the American bourgeoisie, which cannot tolerate a Chinese dependency (us.politsturm.com/china-becomes-cubas-key-economic…) 90 miles from its coast amid a deepening global crisis.
► The legal framework for "foreign investment", unlimited foreign private trade and other related things all serve one goal: to open the gates to foreign capital, allow it into the domestic market, and share in the surplus value the bourgeoisie extracts from the Cuban proletariat.
► These laws and all previous measures have revealed the essence of the regime as a bourgeois dictatorship. Not concessions while protecting the interests of workers, but a consistent policy of cultivating capitalism, protecting the interests of capitalists, and subordinating to them.
It is particularly in regard to the political struggle that the “class point of view” demands that the proletariat give an impetus to every democratic movement… We will not forget, however, that if we want to push someone forward, we must continuously keep our hands on that someone’s shoulders. – Vladimir Lenin, Political Agitation and “The Class Point of View”.
Cuba becomes capitalist. New laws include the legalization of the bourgeoisie, IPOs for state-owned enterprises, and invitation of American capital.
Details. On June 18, the Cuban parliament adopted a package of "economic and social reforms".
► The document consists of 176 "transformations" grouped into 23 sections. Politsturm has grouped the most important changes.
General transition to capitalism. Many of the “reforms” establish the framework of a typical market economy. Price determination is transferred to the private sector, to be governed by market forces (Sections 1, 7, and 13). The creation of private banks is permitted (Section 11). The list of prohibited activities for non-state economic actors has been shortened (Section 12). The capitalization of private companies is permitted (Section 1), as is the right to own more than one private company and to hold shares in multiple companies. Corporate taxes and "economically unjustified taxes" are reduced to encourage the growth of private capital (Section 12).
Public ownership turns into state-capitalist ownership. "Socialist state enterprises" will lose their special position in the economy and be restructured as commercial companies. State-owned companies will be able to acquire shares in other companies. Mechanisms for bankruptcy, liquidation, and restructuring of public-sector assets will be established, and non-governmental organizations and individuals will be able to purchase shares in them (Section 1). State-owned enterprises will access resources and foreign currency through market mechanisms. State orders will be fulfilled through contracts (Section 3). State-owned enterprises will also be permitted to use foreign platforms for the purchase and sale of fuel (Section 6). The role of central planning will be reduced to "an instrument for diagnosis, forecasting, and adjustment of [economic] policies". In essence, a legislative formalisation of state-capitalist ownership.
Privatization of state property. Section 1 establishes a "National Program for the Assessment and Registration of Ownership Rights to State Commercial Assets," which will conduct an inventory and issue certificates of ownership. Local governing bodies will be free to control local enterprises as they see fit.
Elimination of the state monopoly on foreign trade. Companies will be able to independently enter foreign markets and manage their own import and export operations (Sections 1 and 7). The requirement to obtain permits from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment has been abolished (Section 15).
Opening the domestic market to foreign capital. Private and foreign capital participation in the import and sale of fuel is permitted. Restrictions on the use of foreign currency in transactions between the domestic market and foreign-owned companies have been lifted. Foreign currency accounts may now be opened without government approval (Section 11). Section 14 is devoted entirely to foreign investment: investors will have access to land on 99-year usage agreements, real estate companies will be able to purchase residential properties, and cultural heritage sites will be open to private investment.
Inviting American capital into the country. Section 16 proposes a transition to "partial dollarization" of the Cuban economy. Section 17 lifts restrictions on tourism companies. Section 19 opens the country to the establishment of branches of foreign companies, including international retail chains, restaurants, and fast food outlets.
► In addition to general investment authorization, the reforms place particular emphasis on an investment program for Cuban emigrants (Section 2). The Cuban diaspora in the United States is the largest community of Cubans outside the island, numbering nearly 3 million people compared to a total national population of approximately 11 million. The rhetoric around "Cubans abroad" is intended to obscure the fact that the opening of the Cuban economy is primarily designed to attract American capital.
A reduction in the role of the state in the social sphere. A sharp reduction in the number of budgetary agencies is proposed (Section 4). The creation of microcredit organizations is permitted (Section 11). Territorial and urban planning, food security, and municipal public services will be "decentralized" (Section 5). Subsidies for the purchase of goods will be replaced by fixed per-person cash payments (Section 9).
Tax increases. Section 12 introduces a value-added tax and raises taxes on land and water transportation, official documents, environmental services, advertising, and commercial publicity.
Context. The adoption of these laws consolidates processes that have been unfolding in Cuba for decades. Even prior to these reforms, Cuba's economy was dominated by large state monopolies – most notably GAESA, which controls around 40% of GDP – alongside small private businesses, both operating along capitalist lines. In 2024, the private sector became dominant in Cuban commerce for the first time, accounting for 55% of economic activity.
► The “reforms” were tabled amid intensified US pressure in the Caribbean, marked by the military escalation and effective takeover of Venezuela in January. Since then, the US Navy enforced a blockade of Cuba in an effort to push the island back under American influence. This prompted US-Cuba secret negotiations, reportedly conducted through secret talks similar to those that preceded Venezuela's reorientation toward Washington.
…Never for a moment lose sight of our ultimate goal, but always carry on propaganda for the proletarian ideology — the theory of scientific socialism, viz., Marxism — guard it against distortion, and develop it further. We must untiringly combat any and every bourgeois ideology, regardless of the fashionable and striking garb in which it may drape itself. – Vladimir Lenin, Political Agitation and “The Class Point of View”.
Far-right mobs set migrant’s houses on fire in Belfast. The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has openly backed these movements across the UK and Europe.
Details. A knife attack by a Sudanese asylum seeker in northern Belfast on June 8 triggered far-right riots across Northern Ireland. Since August 2025, these groups had compiled a hit list of immigrants’ addresses and properties, which they targeted during the unrest. Houses and cars were set on fire, racist checkpoints were erected on the main roads, with 35 people being arrested for the disorder.
► The riots received support from prominent British far-right figures, including activist Tommy Robinson and Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe. One of Robinson's posts on X, which called for repeated and loud protests, was retweeted by US trillionaire Elon Musk.
Context. This follows growing far-right unrest in the UK. In June 2025, violent riots erupted in Ballymena after an alleged assault by two Romanian teenagers, charges that were later dropped. In July 2024, nationwide riots followed the Southport stabbings, fuelled by a far-right fabrication about the attacker's immigration status.
► In the 12 months leading up to November 2025, police recorded 2,048 racist incidents and 1,280 racially motivated hate crimes. This is one of the highest levels recorded since the records began in 2004.
► Anti-immigrant violence is rising across Europe. In July 2025, far-right clashes with North African migrants erupted in southeastern Spain, and throughout 2024, 77 attacks on asylum seekers were recorded in Berlin alone.
► Capitalists actively support inflaming these anti-migrant tensions. Musk has backed British far-right party Restore Britain and its leader Rupert Lowe, and financially supported Tommy Robinson. Across Europe, he has backed the Alternative for Germany, Italy's far-right prime minister Georgia Meloni, and France's National Rally leader Marine Le Pen.
Important to Know. Pogroms against ethnic and national minorities have a long history in capitalist Europe. Jews faced repeated waves of mass killings in the Russian Empire. In 19th century England, Irish migrants were physically attacked and banned from jobs – one Dublin paper wrote in 1892 that "nowhere in England can our countrymen consider themselves safe from English mob violence."
► In 1870, Marx pointed out that antagonism between British and Irish workers is "artificially kept alive and intensified [...] by all the means at the disposal of the ruling classes." This antagonism, he wrote, is "the secret of the impotence of the English working class, despite its organisation."
► Modern capitalists, like Musk, back far-right violence to reproduce manufactured divisions that have long served the ruling class. Workers kept divided by mutual hatred cannot effectively organise against their exploitation.
Politsturm International
The restoration of capitalism in Cuba was ignored for almost a week by Solidnet's key party. During this period, it continued to organize "solidarity events". One of its leaders placed Cuba alongside Iran and declared the Iranian regime's "victory" over American imperialism.
Details. The Cuban parliament passed (www.granma.cu/cuba/2026-06-18/comenzo-la-tercera-s…) a sweeping package of laws that completed the transition of the Cuban economy to a capitalist model on June 18. The day before, the Communist Party of Greece – the key party of the Solidnet and European Communist Action – held (inter.kke.gr/en/m-article/Mass-KKE-rally-marks-the…) a rally to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro's birth.
► The KKE and its allies regularly speak (inter.kke.gr/en/m-article/816bf8f2-bb2b-11f0-b1e1-…) out in support of the Cuban government. KKE delegations have repeatedly visited (inter.kke.gr/en/m-article/815bcc46-bb2b-11f0-b1e1-…) Cuba and met (inter.kke.gr/en/m-article/67a7e6e8-bb2b-11f0-b1e1-…) with senior leaders. The signing of a declaration (www.solidnet.org/article/23rd-IMCWP-RESOLUTION-ON-…) of solidarity with Cuba is one of the usual rituals (www.solidnet.org/article/20-IMCWP-Communist-and-Wo…) of the annual "International Meetings of Communist and Workers' Parties". The next "Meeting" remains (www.solidnet.org/article/CP-of-Greece-The-KKE-salu…) scheduled for August 2026 in Havana, Cuba. The 2022 meeting was previously held (www.solidnet.org/meetings-and-statements/imcwp/22n…) there.
► Since the adoption of the laws, the KKE has held (www.rizospastis.gr/story.do?id=13328441&textCriter…) several events dedicated (www.902.gr/eidisi/eyrovoyli/423312/ekdilosi-tis-ey…) to Cuba, but the reports of these events do not contain any specific statements on this topic. The member of the Central Committee G. Marinos limited himself to general words when speaking (www.902.gr/eidisi/politiki/423176/g-marinos-oloi-s…) at a youth festival on June 21. In the context of his speech, he compared Cuba to the Ayatollah regime in Iran, which he implied by the words “Iranian people”. This rhetoric is consistent with the positions (wapnews.org/?p=11254) of the social-chauvinist "World Anti-Imperialist Platform", which the KKE criticizes (inter.kke.gr/en/m-article/A-World-Anti-Imperialist….
Quote: "We support Cuba and its people in the difficult times it is going through. We defend the Cuban Revolution and fight to end the criminal blockade of American imperialism. We roar 'hands off Cuba.' ... In the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf, a major realignment of forces is being attempted. Americans and Israel seek to control the region rich in raw materials, to shape the so-called new Middle East and to cross the Indian trade route to Europe, in competition with the new Chinese Silk Road. The people of Iran resisted and proved once again that imperialism is not omnipotent!"
► The KKE responded (www.idcommunism.com/2026/06/cuba-approves-economic…) to the legalization of capitalism only on June 25 with a publication in the party newspaper "Rizospastis." It presents a summary of the reforms, composed in the same vague style as the original list. The position itself boils down to a general statement of the "serious dangers" of "the further strengthening of commodity relations and market mechanisms." The paragraph after it effectively undercuts this assertion, calling on communists to continue supporting "the Cuban people," without mentioning the government's role in the restoration of capitalism or what the communist position toward the ruling "Communist Party of Cuba" should be.
Context. The adoption of a package of economic laws effectively transitioning the economy to a market system was preceded by many years of development (us.politsturm.com/private-sector-dominant-in-cuban…) and strengthening of capitalist elements in Cuba. This process occurred with the approval (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained) and direct support of the Cuban government and the “Communist Party of Cuba”. The immediate pretext were the US-Cuban secret negotiations (us.politsturm.com/the-us-and-cuba-begin-official-n…, caused by economic and political pressure from the United States, which intensified (us.politsturm.com/american-imperialism-intensifies…) with the start of Donald Trump's second presidential term.
► The "International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties" is a broad structure, created and functioning with the active participation of the Communist Party of Greece. It unites groups and organizations that formally identify themselves as Marxist-Leninists. Participants range (www.solidnet.org/links/communist-and-workers-parti…) from the KKE itself and aligned organizations to non-existent, opportunist, or openly imperialist structures, including the "Communist Party of the Russian Federation", the "Communist Party of the United States of America", and the " Communist Party of China". The "IMCWP" is supplemented (www.solidnet.org/home/) by "Solidnet", a media platform created during the first "Meetings" with the goal of exchanging information.
Important to Know. Despite regular statements of support for Cuba for decades, the KKE didn’t produce theoretical materials that contain an objective analysis of the Cuban Revolution, the state of the Cuban economy, or provide a substantiated communist position on it. Among the KKE's allies, one could see (riktpunkt.nu/2023/07/stora-reformer-vantar-kubas-s…) rare occasional (riktpunkt.nu/2026/03/kuba-oppnar-for-investeringar…) news materials pointing (riktpunkt.nu/2022/11/kuba-tar-stallning-for-ryssla…) to the growth of capitalism in Cuba, but they did not contain a direct characterization or assessment of the Cuban regime today.
► The events unfolding in Cuba have effectively called into question the pro-Cuba statements of the IMCWP/Solidnet parties. The Cuban government, with which they had called for solidarity, capitulated to the United States, thereby exposing itself as a defender of the interests of Cuban capital, represented by the state corporation GAESA and private enterprises. It betrayed both Cuban workers and the foreign communists who sincerely supported Cuba's struggle.
► These events demonstrate the importance of a direct, objective analysis of every issue important to modern communists. Only such an analysis can form the basis for any further action, especially in the matter of communist solidarity with one political force or another.
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The party of the proletariat must learn to catch every liberal just at the moment when he is prepared to move forward an inch, and make him move forward a yard. If he is obdurate, we will go forward without him and over him. – Vladimir Lenin, Political Agitation and "The Class Point of View".
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Starmer resigns as UK Prime Minister. The media has portrayed his 'left' replacement as Lenin. What are his actual policies?
Details. On 22 June, Keir Starmer announced his resignation as Prime Minister. The Labour Party is to open nominations from 9 to 16 July, allowing for a dispute to take place and for the party to have a new leader by the time Parliament returns from recess on 1 September. However, if only one person comes forward, there might be a new leader by mid-July.
► Pressure began in February after it was revealed Starmer had known the ambassador to the US had ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Initially defending the Prime Minister, after a terrible performance in the May local elections – with heavy gains for the populist right Reform UK – there was a party "rebellion", with over 90 Labour MPs calling for his resignation. Even before any official announcement, Donald Trump said Starmer "will resign."
Context. Winning the 2024 election with a “landslide,” Starmer's approval reached a low of 19%. He had promised change from the 14 years of Conservative governance and to serve the working people – even calling himself a socialist.
► His government saw a number of u-turns on controversial policies, such as cuts to winter fuel allowance for pensioners or cuts to disability benefits. His government attempted to pander to the far-right on issues such as immigration and trans-rights, losing much support from the left.
► Labour's promised expansion of workers' rights was delayed and diluted. British workers faced worsening living standards: healthy lifespans shortened, essential goods became less affordable, and the poorest 40% saw falling wages. Recorded cases of modern slavery also reached a record high. Meanwhile, military spending rose to Cold War levels and support for Israel continued despite widespread public opposition. These developments coincided with record trade union membership growth in 2025.
► Labour had previously called for an end to the “chaos” of the Conservative leadership, which went through 5 Prime Ministers between 2016 and 2024. Now, with Labour’s contribution, the UK is set to have its 7th Prime Minister in 10 years. A trend of political crises is observed across the world, such as France and Nepal.
Important to Know. The most likely replacement is the (now former) Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham. His strong victory against Reform in the Makerfield by-election in mid-June made him a popular alternative. Numerous figures were also considered, but the party is still deciding whether someone else should contest to present an image of democratic dispute.
► Burnham has said people "want change" – a motif also used in Starmer’s election campaign. He said Labour must move to the left and that the “underdogs” should be championed. This image is further exaggerated by the media, with him even being referred to as “comrade Burnham,” and his train ride down to Westminster being compared to Lenin's train journey back to Petrograd for the October Revolution.
► However, in many ways he continues Starmer’s policies, such as justifying the far right through curbing immigration, welfare cuts and increased military spending (something many in government wanted more of). He also claims water and utilities should be publicly owned; in reality he means directly owned by the capitalist state, similarly to Starmer’s nationalisation of railways and steel, with profits distributed among the capitalist class while the burden is still borne by workers.
► Burnham does propose some unique policies. Under the umbrella of “Manchesterism,” referred to by him as a “business friendly socialism,” there are measures such as devolution, giving more financial autonomy for cities and shifting power away from London. He also defends proportional representation, as opposed Britain’s first past the post system. This changes the form of government, but does not alter its content, as none of the parties belong to the working class, meaning the state remains a tool for the capitalists.
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The restoration of capitalism in Cuba was portrayed as an opportunity to replicate “China's success” by social-chauvinists. Chinese opportunism led to increased exploitation of Chinese workers, enormous inequality and profits for Western corporations.
Details. (d20onx9acoummj.cloudfront.net/2026/06/cuba_china.w…) The narrative of Cuba repeating the "Chinese path to socialism" emerged from the very beginning of the "reforms" that are transforming the Cuban economy into a capitalist one. The connection of the “reforms” with the Chinese experience was declared (www.granma.cu/cuba/2026-06-18/la-realidad-nos-impo…) by the Cuban president Díaz-Canel: "A study has also been carried out on the experiences of socialist construction in other countries such as China and Vietnam...".
► This narrative was then picked up by social-chauvinists. Opportunist "Friends of Socialist China" media portrayed (socialistchina.org/2026/06/25/cubas-economic-refor…) the “reforms” as a good and logical decision: "They are best understood as a defence of socialism under siege, following the strategic logic China has pursued since 1978... “a strategic effort to preserve and deepen the social gains of the Revolution”.
► The official Russian media outlet “RIA Novosti” released (ria.ru/20260623/kuba-2100447674.html) an analytical piece that assessed the reforms as a successful and winning move that would make Cuba practically equal to China in power: “Cuban leaders openly say they intend to follow the Chinese and Vietnamese path... If Cuba succeeds in doing the same, in 15-20 years the island will become the richest and most successful country in the entire Caribbean, leaving most of Latin America behind”.
Context. The Cuban parliament passed (us.politsturm.com/cuba-capitalist-reforms) a sweeping package of laws that completed the transition of the Cuban economy to a capitalist model on June 18. The adoption of these laws consolidates processes that have been unfolding (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained) in Cuba for decades.
Important to Know. Opportunists defending Chinese imperialism emphasize the growth of the economy and gloss over the negative consequences (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFCoW...) of the opportunist policies of Chinese revisionism for the workers of the PRC.
► Historically, the "opening of the country" to foreign capital led to the active import of Western capital. China's leadership artificially kept the cost of Chinese labour low, allowing the Western bourgeoisie to reap super-profits by exploiting the Chinese proletariat. Subsequently, cheap goods produced in Western-owned Chinese factories were used to stifle production of consumer goods in the former Soviet Union.
► Over time, the Chinese bourgeoisie grew stronger and began to exercise greater independence. Using its position as the "factory of the world", China formed its own imperialist bloc and began (us.politsturm.com/the-new-silk-road) economic expansion across the globe. The contradictions between the Chinese and Western imperialist blocs constitute (us.politsturm.com/china-usa-will-there-be-war) the main confrontation on the modern global stage.
► The imposition of capitalism and the associated commodity-money relations, exploitation, social inequality and other disasters done with communist rhetoric and symbols, as it’s performed in the PRC, Vietnam, DPRK and Cuba is a direct deception of the workers.
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Communism deprives no man of the power to appropriate the products of society:
all that it does is to deprive him of the power to subjugate the labor of others by means of such appropriation. – Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party.
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The opening of Cuba to American capital occurred in the spirit of the classic imperialist expansion of XIX-XX centuries. Cuba's leadership revealed the regime's essence as a dictatorship of capital.
Details. During the discussion of “economic reforms”, Cuba’s leadership stated that these measures would “protect socialism” and “maintain state control”. This was intended to create the impression of a gradual retreat. In reality, the "reforms" largely consolidated the existing order of things.
► This is confirmed by Cuban President Diaz-Canel, who reported (www.cpusa.org/article/cuba-embarks-on-emergency-re…) that many “reforms” were discussed back in the early 2010s, but were postponed.
How did Cuba's leadership encourage the growth of capitalism? After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba entered the "Special Period (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained#the-conte…)" and opened to foreign investment to compensate for the loss of Soviet subsidies. Around the end of Fidel Castro's life, at the turn of the 1990s and 2000s, the restoration of capital and the establishment of a bourgeois dictatorship were underway. By 2011, private businesses were permitted to purchase wage-labour.
► In 2016, the Cuban government had already passed a bill legalising small- and medium-sized private businesses. This was a similar formalisation of what already existed in practice: the government was already tolerating a large black market, which then simply became “legal” capitalists. The 2019 constitution (www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Cuba_2019) enshrined private property over the means of production and legally guaranteed the rights of capitalists. The private sector (us.politsturm.com/private-sector-dominant-in-cuban…) has expanded in parallel. In 2024, the non-state sector accounted for 55% of retail sales, the first time private capital has surpassed state commerce. Private importers brought in over $1 billion in foreign goods (www.reuters.com/world/americas/first-time-decades-…, a 34% increase year-on-year.
► Modern Cuba's economy operates (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained) on the economic laws of capitalism. Workers sell their labour-power for wages to GAESA and private employers, who appropriate the surplus as profit. The bulk of goods are produced not for use but for sale. The law of value governs (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained#:~:text=F…) distribution through prices (us.politsturm.com/cuban-price-rise) and increasingly impoverishes the workers. Capital flows (us.politsturm.com/cuba-reforms-explained#:~:text=W…) into the profitable light industry.
Consistently developing, defending, and strengthening capitalism, the Cuban government transformed itself into a bourgeois dictatorship. The widespread introduction of capitalism, the general growth of private capital, and the transformation of public enterprises into the property of a closed corporation run by military and government functionaries changed the nature of the regime and the balance of class forces. The 2026 reforms and all previous measures cannot be said to be “concessions” extracted under pressure while “protecting workers' interests”. They form part of a consistent policy of cultivating and protecting capitalist interests, whilst subordinating Cuban workers to it.
► Behind the continuing facade of the Cuban Revolution, hiding behind the previous rhetoric and portraits of former leaders, primarily Fidel Castro, a military-bureaucratic elite has emerged, intertwined with a new bourgeoisie that uses state property as private property and continues to govern under socialist rhetoric. This is not a question of "defending the revolution"; the government no longer represents the revolution and the Cuban workers.
► Under a bourgeois dictatorship, state property is, in fact, private property. The state acts as a collective capitalist owner. In this sense, the Cuban regime is very similar to the regimes in China, Vietnam, and North Korea.
How do Cuban opportunists negotiate terms for surrender to the US? The US-Cuba secret negotiations (us.politsturm.com/the-us-and-cuba-begin-official-n…) that began in March 2026 represent a classic imperialist situation. Under pressure (us.politsturm.com/american-imperialism-intensifies…) from a stronger capitalist power – intensified sanctions, fuel shortages, blackouts, and a collapsing economy – Cuba is being forced to submit to a more dominant capitalist power. The goal is to secure the military and economic interests of the American bourgeoisie, which cannot tolerate a Chinese dependency (us.politsturm.com/china-becomes-cubas-key-economic…) 90 miles from its coast amid a deepening global crisis.
► The legal framework for "foreign investment", unlimited foreign private trade and other related things all serve one goal: to open the gates to foreign capital, allow it into the domestic market, and share in the surplus value the bourgeoisie extracts from the Cuban proletariat.
► These laws and all previous measures have revealed the essence of the regime as a bourgeois dictatorship. Not concessions while protecting the interests of workers, but a consistent policy of cultivating capitalism, protecting the interests of capitalists, and subordinating to them.
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It is particularly in regard to the political struggle that the “class point of view” demands that the proletariat give an impetus to every democratic movement… We will not forget, however, that if we want to push someone forward, we must continuously keep our hands on that someone’s shoulders. – Vladimir Lenin, Political Agitation and “The Class Point of View”.
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Cuba becomes capitalist. New laws include the legalization of the bourgeoisie, IPOs for state-owned enterprises, and invitation of American capital.
Details. On June 18, the Cuban parliament adopted a package of "economic and social reforms".
► The document consists of 176 "transformations" grouped into 23 sections. Politsturm has grouped the most important changes.
General transition to capitalism. Many of the “reforms” establish the framework of a typical market economy. Price determination is transferred to the private sector, to be governed by market forces (Sections 1, 7, and 13). The creation of private banks is permitted (Section 11). The list of prohibited activities for non-state economic actors has been shortened (Section 12). The capitalization of private companies is permitted (Section 1), as is the right to own more than one private company and to hold shares in multiple companies. Corporate taxes and "economically unjustified taxes" are reduced to encourage the growth of private capital (Section 12).
Public ownership turns into state-capitalist ownership. "Socialist state enterprises" will lose their special position in the economy and be restructured as commercial companies. State-owned companies will be able to acquire shares in other companies. Mechanisms for bankruptcy, liquidation, and restructuring of public-sector assets will be established, and non-governmental organizations and individuals will be able to purchase shares in them (Section 1). State-owned enterprises will access resources and foreign currency through market mechanisms. State orders will be fulfilled through contracts (Section 3). State-owned enterprises will also be permitted to use foreign platforms for the purchase and sale of fuel (Section 6). The role of central planning will be reduced to "an instrument for diagnosis, forecasting, and adjustment of [economic] policies". In essence, a legislative formalisation of state-capitalist ownership.
Privatization of state property. Section 1 establishes a "National Program for the Assessment and Registration of Ownership Rights to State Commercial Assets," which will conduct an inventory and issue certificates of ownership. Local governing bodies will be free to control local enterprises as they see fit.
Elimination of the state monopoly on foreign trade. Companies will be able to independently enter foreign markets and manage their own import and export operations (Sections 1 and 7). The requirement to obtain permits from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment has been abolished (Section 15).
Opening the domestic market to foreign capital. Private and foreign capital participation in the import and sale of fuel is permitted. Restrictions on the use of foreign currency in transactions between the domestic market and foreign-owned companies have been lifted. Foreign currency accounts may now be opened without government approval (Section 11). Section 14 is devoted entirely to foreign investment: investors will have access to land on 99-year usage agreements, real estate companies will be able to purchase residential properties, and cultural heritage sites will be open to private investment.
Inviting American capital into the country. Section 16 proposes a transition to "partial dollarization" of the Cuban economy. Section 17 lifts restrictions on tourism companies. Section 19 opens the country to the establishment of branches of foreign companies, including international retail chains, restaurants, and fast food outlets.
► In addition to general investment authorization, the reforms place particular emphasis on an investment program for Cuban emigrants (Section 2). The Cuban diaspora in the United States is the largest community of Cubans outside the island, numbering nearly 3 million people compared to a total national population of approximately 11 million. The rhetoric around "Cubans abroad" is intended to obscure the fact that the opening of the Cuban economy is primarily designed to attract American capital.
A reduction in the role of the state in the social sphere. A sharp reduction in the number of budgetary agencies is proposed (Section 4). The creation of microcredit organizations is permitted (Section 11). Territorial and urban planning, food security, and municipal public services will be "decentralized" (Section 5). Subsidies for the purchase of goods will be replaced by fixed per-person cash payments (Section 9).
Tax increases. Section 12 introduces a value-added tax and raises taxes on land and water transportation, official documents, environmental services, advertising, and commercial publicity.
Context. The adoption of these laws consolidates processes that have been unfolding in Cuba for decades. Even prior to these reforms, Cuba's economy was dominated by large state monopolies – most notably GAESA, which controls around 40% of GDP – alongside small private businesses, both operating along capitalist lines. In 2024, the private sector became dominant in Cuban commerce for the first time, accounting for 55% of economic activity.
► The “reforms” were tabled amid intensified US pressure in the Caribbean, marked by the military escalation and effective takeover of Venezuela in January. Since then, the US Navy enforced a blockade of Cuba in an effort to push the island back under American influence. This prompted US-Cuba secret negotiations, reportedly conducted through secret talks similar to those that preceded Venezuela's reorientation toward Washington.
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…Never for a moment lose sight of our ultimate goal, but always carry on propaganda for the proletarian ideology — the theory of scientific socialism, viz., Marxism — guard it against distortion, and develop it further. We must untiringly combat any and every bourgeois ideology, regardless of the fashionable and striking garb in which it may drape itself. – Vladimir Lenin, Political Agitation and “The Class Point of View”.
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Far-right mobs set migrant’s houses on fire in Belfast. The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has openly backed these movements across the UK and Europe.
Details. A knife attack by a Sudanese asylum seeker in northern Belfast on June 8 triggered far-right riots across Northern Ireland. Since August 2025, these groups had compiled a hit list of immigrants’ addresses and properties, which they targeted during the unrest. Houses and cars were set on fire, racist checkpoints were erected on the main roads, with 35 people being arrested for the disorder.
► The riots received support from prominent British far-right figures, including activist Tommy Robinson and Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe. One of Robinson's posts on X, which called for repeated and loud protests, was retweeted by US trillionaire Elon Musk.
Context. This follows growing far-right unrest in the UK. In June 2025, violent riots erupted in Ballymena after an alleged assault by two Romanian teenagers, charges that were later dropped. In July 2024, nationwide riots followed the Southport stabbings, fuelled by a far-right fabrication about the attacker's immigration status.
► In the 12 months leading up to November 2025, police recorded 2,048 racist incidents and 1,280 racially motivated hate crimes. This is one of the highest levels recorded since the records began in 2004.
► Anti-immigrant violence is rising across Europe. In July 2025, far-right clashes with North African migrants erupted in southeastern Spain, and throughout 2024, 77 attacks on asylum seekers were recorded in Berlin alone.
► Capitalists actively support inflaming these anti-migrant tensions. Musk has backed British far-right party Restore Britain and its leader Rupert Lowe, and financially supported Tommy Robinson. Across Europe, he has backed the Alternative for Germany, Italy's far-right prime minister Georgia Meloni, and France's National Rally leader Marine Le Pen.
Important to Know. Pogroms against ethnic and national minorities have a long history in capitalist Europe. Jews faced repeated waves of mass killings in the Russian Empire. In 19th century England, Irish migrants were physically attacked and banned from jobs – one Dublin paper wrote in 1892 that "nowhere in England can our countrymen consider themselves safe from English mob violence."
► In 1870, Marx pointed out that antagonism between British and Irish workers is "artificially kept alive and intensified [...] by all the means at the disposal of the ruling classes." This antagonism, he wrote, is "the secret of the impotence of the English working class, despite its organisation."
► Modern capitalists, like Musk, back far-right violence to reproduce manufactured divisions that have long served the ruling class. Workers kept divided by mutual hatred cannot effectively organise against their exploitation.
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