In the latest stage, the main impacts on these spheres have been manifested in the impossibility of Cuban institutions to access technologies and participation, and the increase in costs due to the rise in freight costs in more distant markets.

A press release from Cuba’s Permanent Mission at the United Nations pointed out that the US blockade prevents Cuba from accessing several of the main videoconference servers such as Zoom, Skype and Cisco, so universities, professors and students have failed to participate in several international forums.

The refusal or delay by the United States in granting the corresponding visas makes it difficult for Cuban athletes to compete in sports events, as happened with the men’s basketball team that could not attend the qualifier for the 2022 America Cup held in Puerto Rico.

The commercialization of Cuban music with US clients is subject to payments through third parties, which makes operations more expensive and reduces the income received by the Cuban party, in addition to the dissuasive and intimidating effect of these coercive measures making it difficult for these cultural products to be present in new markets.

Cuban filmmakers are forced to associate with foreign co-producers to acquire the corresponding licenses for technology developed by the US company DOLBY, which is crucial for the international insertion of audiovisual works.

This year marks six decades since the institutionalization of the US blockade, which constitutes the broadest and longest-standing set of coercive measures against a nation in contemporary history.

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