iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 1h

OFAC issued new Cuba sanctions that make it harder for U.S. citizens to see the impact of U.S. economic warfare by restricting their travel. The measures also target Cuban entrepreneurs by preventing them from using bank accounts in the U.S. Read more: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/news/us-tigh...

000

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 23h

Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) made headlines recently when she broke with Trump over the mass deportations she has long supported. Belly of the Beast’s María Karla Acosta Toledo breaks down how Salazar helped create the political mess she now finds herself in.

044

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 23h

031

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 30/09/2026

A year ago, ICE deported Heidy Sánchez to Cuba, separating her from her husband and two-year-old daughter in Florida. Today, they are still apart. Watch as Heidy tells her story to four members of Congress.

1105

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/09/2026

At the UN General Assembly today, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla challenged Trump’s claim that Cuba is a “failed state.” “If that were the case, why did they have to impose a fuel blockade?” he asked. The U.S. diplomat present walked out during his speech.

2178

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 26/09/2026

While Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly this week that Cuba is “failing like never before,” world leaders from across the Global South stood with the island to denounce the U.S. economic war on Cuba. Listen to what world leaders had to say about Cuba at the UN.

0176

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 25/09/2026

Every weekend, Cuban documentarian Gloria Rolando Casamayor sets up a portable projector and turns her street in Havana’s Colón neighborhood into a movie theater. The screenings honor Cuba’s mobile cinema tradition — and give neighbors somewhere to gather when the power goes out.

0197

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 23/09/2026

Ten men set out from Florida to Cuba with guns, planning to spark an uprising A firefight with Cuba’s Border Guard left five dead and five detained Read the first public account of the plot from its participants, w/ @dropsitenews.com @miaminewtimes.com: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/inside-armed...

162

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 23/09/2026

At the UN General Assembly this morning, Trump called Cuba a “failed state” that was also somehow capable of providing a safe haven to foreign adversaries that “threaten America” and cultivating “subversive groups” in the U.S. Cuba’s UN delegation walked out while Trump spoke.

1186

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 21/09/2026

Cuba’s national power grid collapsed again Friday, leaving millions without power for 32 hours. Cuba’s energy crisis has been caused in large part by Trump’s oil blockade and sanctions that block imports of parts and equipment needed to maintain power plants.

0126

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 19/09/2026

Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío told PBS there was “no progress” in talks with the U.S. due to the Trump administration’s unrelenting hostility and policy of “collective punishment.” Watch some of his comments.

0177

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 16/09/2026

“Lo Llevamos Rizo,” Cuba’s only natural Afro hair pageant, brought stylists and clients together to celebrate Black roots and beauty. Despite challenges from the U.S. economic war on Cuba, attendees continued embracing identity, resilience and pride in who they are.

052

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 10/09/2026

Cuba’s government says U.S. economic warfare caused $8.083 billion in damage between March 2025 and February 2026. Behind the billion-dollar figures are ordinary Cubans whose lives depend on access to fuel, food and medicine. Read more: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/news/cuba-sa...

bellyofthebeastcuba.com

Cuba Says U.S. Embargo Caused $8 Billion in Damage in One Year — Belly of the Beast

Cuba reports $8 billion in embargo damages as U.S. sanctions and fuel restrictions disrupt healthcare, food, education and daily life.

0105

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 10/09/2026

Greg Levy, a socialist candidate for the U.S. Senate in Ohio, traveled to Cuba and saw firsthand the impact of U.S. sanctions and the blockade. After his trip to the island, Levy understood one thing that U.S. people need to know about Cuba. Watch the full interview.

093

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 09/09/2026

Liva Café in Havana promotes inclusive employment for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. Founded by Mariolis Escobar, it helps its protagonists socialize and work with dignity. Watch the full story👇

0123

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 08/09/2026

Who Is the Oil Blockade Really Punishing? Watch the Full Story👇

061

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 07/09/2026

The Trump administration Thursday sanctioned one of Raúl Castro’s grandsons and five Cuban entities, expanding Washington’s assault on Cuba’s oil and mining industries. Read more: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/news/rubio-s...

062

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 04/09/2026

A federal jury in Miami rejected a Helms-Burton lawsuit from two Cuban-American families who claimed Expedia profited from expropriated property in Cuba. This is Expedia’s second victory over a Cuba-related property claim in as many years. Read more: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/news/expedia...

071

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 04/09/2026

The Bahamian government announced it will not renew contracts for 31 Cuban teachers this school year — the latest in a string of Cuban overseas South-South collaboration programs to fall victim to U.S. pressure. Read more below: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/news/bahamas...

173

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 03/09/2026

Despite a U.S. oil blockade and sanctions, more than 1.4 million students returned to classrooms in Cuba this Tuesday. youtu.be/XtWu88KVLnI

youtu.be

How Does Cuba Keep Its Schools Open Under an Oil Blockade?

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

0166

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 01/09/2026

Nearly 1.4 million Cuban students return to school today. But what should be a moment of celebration is instead unfolding under the shadow of U.S. economic warfare. Read more: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/news/us-econ...

091

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 01/09/2026

What does this moment in Cuba mean to the people living through it? Photographer Moník Molinet asked people in Havana to pause, reflect and put their own words to the moment they’re living through. Their portraits tell the story. Watch our video: youtu.be/KYoCw8YFxeE

youtu.be

What Cubans Want to Say About Life in Cuba Today

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

0123

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 31/08/2026

Cuba received 127 deportees from the U.S. this week, bringing the 2026 total to 882 people returned to the island by U.S. authorities. But some migrants aren't being sent home despite Cuba's cooperation with U.S. deportation efforts. Read more below: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/news/trump-i...

050

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/08/2026

Historian Teishan Latner says the U.S. State Department’s Cuba report revives decades-old allegations against U.S. solidarity activists — without evidence. Latner takes a critical look at the report in this interview with Belly of the Beast journalist Yohan Rodríguez. youtu.be/u8hqJI4kOWc

youtu.be

This History Professor Graded Marco Rubio's Cuba Report. He Got an F.

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

183

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/08/2026

U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez says universal healthcare doesn’t work because Cuba’s healthcare system “sucks.”. What he neglects to mention is that policies he has championed are the reason why Cuba’s healthcare has been collapsing. youtu.be/hsUgYktJS_M

youtu.be

U.S. Sabotages Cuba’s Hospitals — Then Calls Universal Healthcare a Failure

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

0135

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 21/08/2026

Florida state representative Angie Nixon won the Democratic nomination Tuesday night for the Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in 2025. Nixon supports restoring Obama-era engagement with Cuba and has said she is open to lifting the U.S. embargo on the island.

0174

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 20/08/2026

The Trump administration sanctioned leaders of Cuba's Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and nine entities today involved in mining and construction. Rubio said ICAP is used to "corrupt" Americans — echoing July's McCarthyite report linking Cuba to U.S. progressives.

082

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 20/08/2026

According to Lara Trump, Cuba is trying to “erase the United States from the earth.” Seriously? Journalist Yohan Rodríguez breaks down the farcical claims by Trump and Marco Rubio, which are used to justify current U.S. policy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVsT...

youtube.com

Cuba Can’t Keep the Lights On. Rubio Says It’s a Superpower

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

0102

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 17/08/2026

Havana has a garbage problem. El Rampeño has a solar-powered solution. Meet the Cuban initiative using renewable energy to collect garbage with tricycles in the face of fuel shortages caused by the U.S. oil blockade. youtu.be/U4E-cd_XKs0

youtu.be

In Havana, Garbage Trucks Replaced by Solar-Powered Tricycles

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

0104

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 15/08/2026

The Trump administration is touting a $100M aid package for Cuba. But it's a drop in the bucket compared to damage caused by U.S. economic warfare that has plunged the island into a humanitarian crisis. Read our full piece now: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/rubio-promis...

bellyofthebeastcuba.com

Rubio Promises Cuba a Better Future — in a Cardboard Box

Marco Rubio promises $100 million in U.S. aid to Cuba. We follow the first deliveries and examine the contradiction behind the humanitarian effort.

186

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 14/08/2026

The Dominican Republic has ordered nine Cuban diplomats and their families to leave without stating a reason. The Cuban government called the decision a “submission to pressure from the U.S. government in its efforts to isolate Cuba.”

2124

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 10/08/2026

The Trump administration is leaking its Cuba playbook to the press — and major U.S. outlets are delivering the message. By one Trump official’s own admission, some of the “leaks” are intended for Havana. Read more: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/marco-rubio-...

bellyofthebeastcuba.com

Marco Rubio’s Cuba Regime Change Strategy and the Media Selling It

Marco Rubio’s Cuba pressure campaign gains traction in major U.S. media as anonymous officials discuss CIA operations and regime change.

094

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 06/08/2026

UN human rights experts warn that Cuba is becoming a "silent Gaza." In a statement released this morning, the experts say that the U.S. economic war on Cuba has created “a full-blown crisis, threatening the rights to health, to life, to food and to development."

01811

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 06/08/2026

Six years ago, Liz Oliva Fernández nearly walked away from journalism. Then she joined a new independent media outlet called Belly of the Beast. The rest is history. Support the independent journalism of Belly of the Beast. www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/help-sustain...

youtu.be

The Story About Cuba That No One Was Telling

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

0123

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 04/08/2026

A boat leaves Barcelona and crosses the Atlantic heading for a pediatric hospital in Cuba. Watch the full story to see why.

youtu.be

The Ship Bringing Aid to Power Cuba’s Hospital

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

0116

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 03/08/2026

After visiting Cuba, Gustavo Petro had a message for Washington. Watch what he said:

1136

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 03/08/2026

Cubans go days without the power needed for refrigeration or running water. Gas is increasingly hard to find, and many on the island resort to charcoal for cooking at home. Watch our video below to learn how Cubans are dealing with the blackouts. www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3e8...

youtube.com

How Cubans Are Surviving Endless Blackouts

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

031

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 03/08/2026

Cuba suffered two major power grid failures this weekend. A partial collapse on Saturday was followed by a nationwide blackout late Sunday, the sixth since the Trump administration imposed an oil blockade on the island in January.

295

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 03/08/2026

The Trump administration says Cuba hosts Russia’s largest overseas spy base. The NYT says it “bristles with antennas” reaching U.S. Central Command and Mar-a-Lago. We went there. It’s a public university. Read our investigation with @dropsitenews.com www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/trump-nyt-ru...

bellyofthebeastcuba.com

Trump and NYT Say There’s a Russian Spy Base in Cuba. Turns Out, It’s a School

Trump and the New York Times claimed Cuba hosts a Russian spy base. Belly of the Beast investigated and found a university instead.

061

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 29/07/2026

Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced Sunday he will end diplomatic relations with Cuba. Cuba hosted the negotiations that produced the 2016 peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC rebel group, ending 52 years of armed conflict.

261

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 28/07/2026

Since January, the U.S. oil blockade has intensified Cuba’s crisis. With fuel imports restricted, gas stations sit empty as lines of cars stretch for hours. Taxi drivers, already hurt by failing tourism, are left without gas and a way to earn a living.

youtu.be

Inside Cuba’s Fuel Lines: Taxi Drivers Struggle Under U.S. Oil Blockade

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

042

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/07/2026

Among the new blacklisted names is CEIBA Investments, a Guernsey-based company that owns Havana's Miramar Trade Center. CEIBA is the first non-Cuban, non-U.S. company designated under the May 1 order, extending the reach of U.S. economic warfare beyond Cuban and U.S. entities.

031

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/07/2026

The State Department also sanctioned the Mariel port terminal and its operators, Cuba's main remittance processor, two fuel importers and CEINPET, the state oil company's research arm that has developed techniques to refine locally produced crude oil.

130

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/07/2026

The move expands the list of entities targeted under Trump's May 1 executive order, which imposes "secondary sanctions" on non-U.S. firms doing business with blacklisted Cuban entities.

120

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/07/2026

The Trump administration sanctioned nine more Cuban entities and two individuals last week, including Cuba's health minister, the state company running its overseas medical missions, and the agency and director who recruit doctors for them.

130

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 27/07/2026

Trump, Rubio and major U.S. media outlets claim Russia is operating a spy base in Cuba. So we went to the alleged base to look for the Russian spies. Here's what we found. Watch full story: www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/this-russian...

youtube.com

The People Inside Cuba’s Alleged Russian Spy Base: There Are No Russian Spies Here

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

074

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 24/07/2026

Mike Hammer, the top U.S. diplomat in Cuba, visited the distribution of U.S.-funded food aid in Bejucal. We tried to ask him about the aid and U.S. sanctions. He declined to answer and drove away. youtube.com/shorts/puEtb...

youtube.com

Top U.S. Diplomat Mike Hammer Visits U.S.-Funded Aid Distribution in Cuba

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

063

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 24/07/2026

On July 21, Reps. Maxine Dexter (D-OR) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) took to the House floor to condemn the U.S. government’s “inhumane” policy toward Cuba a week after visiting the island — something Secretary of State Marco Rubio has never done. youtu.be/gt6EeL2ME3c

youtu.be

Members of Congress Call for End to “Inhumane” Blockade on Cuba

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

2115

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 22/07/2026

Trump, Rubio and major U.S. media claim Russia is operating a spy base in Cuba. So we went to the alleged site ourselves. Here's what we found. youtu.be/B_N2puLsNN8

youtu.be

This Russian Base In Cuba Is Spying On You

YouTube video by Belly of the Beast

174

Belly of the Beast @bellyofthebeastcuba.com · 22/07/2026

After their fact-finding trip to Cuba, four members of Congress asked to meet with the U.S. Embassy in Havana. The embassy denied their request. We asked three of the lawmakers if this is normal. Listen to what Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) had to say:

2249