Baltimore, June 7 – Urban Reads bookstore hosted a launch event for the book, “Love is the Law: Cuba’s Queer Rights Revolution,” published by Struggle-La Lucha. This book documents the mass-democratic development of Cuba’s new Families Code, a comprehensive legal framework expanding the rights of women, children, LGBTQ+ people, seniors, those with disabilities, and ultimately all Cubans. Urban Reads is a Black-owned bookstore targeted in recent months by neo-Nazis. They continue to stand firm. Solidarity with Urban Reads! Following is the presentation given by the book’s editor, Gregory E. Williams.

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Stonewall means fight back!

Thanks for having me here, and happy Pride Month! This is a special Pride Month because of the conditions of this period. The fascist movement is attacking queer and trans people’s struggles, and the struggles of the working class and all the oppressed in many countries. In the U.S., fascists aligned with Donald Trump have the reins of the government. Now is really the time to fight back.

They’re trying to cut off working-class and oppressed people from their histories of struggle. By attacking Pride, they’re trying to cut us off from the radical legacy of Stonewall and ACT UP. They don’t just attack it for cultural reasons, because “people are tired of seeing it,” as if the optics were what’s most important. It’s not about Pride merchandise in stores. They’re attacking the struggle itself. They’re attacking the very idea of struggle, in hopes that we will lie down to be oppressed and exploited.

So, in this context, I’m here to talk about the LGBTQ+ struggle in Cuba. We can learn a lot from Cuba. This talk builds on an interview I did with a longtime gay communist activist, Bob McCubbin, whose analysis is part of the bedrock of what I’m going to say. I was interviewing him, and he wanted to interview me about this book. We have his book available today, “The Social Evolution of Humanity: Marx and Engels Were Right!” Please pick up a copy. 

Significance of Families Code

So, this collection that we’ve published through Struggle-La Lucha is called “Love is the Law: Cuba’s Queer Rights Revolution.” “Love is the law,” or “el amor es ley,” is one of the main slogans used in Cuba to promote the new Families Code, which is the focus of this book. The Code is a comprehensive overhaul of the legal system, expanding the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people, children, elders, disabled people, and ultimately all Cubans. It’s about much more than same-sex marriage.

The book also includes the full text of Leslie Feinberg’s “Rainbow Solidarity in Defense of Cuba.” Feinberg was a U.S.-born transgender communist – a secular Jewish activist committed to the Palestinian liberation struggle. (Leslie used she / zie pronouns.) Zie had done a lot of analysis of what was happening in Cuba up through 2009 when “Rainbow Solidarity” was published. It forms the backdrop to the passage of the new Code. I’ll recap that history. 

There’s a lot of disinformation about Cuba. The imperialists promoted the idea that Cuba was homophobic without giving any context. (Of course, at the time Cuba had its revolution, queer and trans people were routinely arrested in the U.S., subjected to shock therapy, etc. That’s why Stonewall happened in the first place.)

But anyway, Leslie analyzed the history of colonialism in Cuba. It was a very repressive society. Spain had colonized Cuba. The Cuban people fought three wars of independence during the 1800s. The U.S. imperialists became dominant after that, taking control of former Spanish colonies in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. They kept Cuba under neocolonial conditions, exploiting laborers and stealing natural resources for Wall Street. In the 1950s, the country was controlled by a U.S.-backed dictator named Fulgencio Batista. 

And Havana was basically being run by the mob for foreign tourists. There was a lot of what nowadays they call sex tourism, where these wealthy businessmen come in. There were prostitution rings that catered to people of any sexuality. And so a lot of the gay, lesbian, and trans life in that time was distorted by that. Many were forced into prostitution. They lived on the outskirts of society. When the revolutionaries came to power in Cuba in 1959, they had to deal with this legacy. 

Colonial Cuba had a slave system just like in the U.S. People of African descent were enslaved. The revolutionaries had to deal with this legacy, too.

They had to figure out how to integrate queer and trans people into the new revolutionary society. And revolutionaries are affected by the same prejudices as anybody else. They’re human beings. Everybody is affected by their historical context. It’s a learning process. They had to develop an understanding over time as they worked to build a better society.

Women led the way

And really, it was the women’s movement in Cuba that blazed the trail. In the early period of the revolution, the Federation of Cuban Women was doing a lot of work on the ground just in terms of literacy campaigns, teaching people – agricultural laborers – how to read, and other incredible things. The revolution allowed women to take on a bigger role in society and advance their own rights. 

And the women’s organizations spearheaded the creation of the first Family Code in 1975. This was an advanced new legal framework that expanded the rights of women and children, providing equal pay and many other things that have not been achieved yet in the capitalist United States. 

By the 1980s, the AIDS epidemic had come about, and it affected Cuba. They took a proactive stance in stopping the spread of the epidemic in their country. They provided care to people who contracted HIV and AIDS and supported them. Nobody had to worry about losing their job, being homeless and dying on the street. No, that’s not an issue in Cuba. They provided health care and housing to all, and that remains the case today as well. 

Under the horrible conditions of the U.S. blockade, they had to do all these things with very few resources, but they were able to care for people with HIV and AIDS at a time when the U.S. government, under Reagan, was barely acknowledging the crisis. People had to throw their bodies on the ground in legislatures and churches, with the activist group ACT UP, and so on, demanding some bit of dignity. But in Cuba, they were taking care of people. 

Cenesex launched

They developed an organization called Cenesex in the late 1980s, the National Center for Sex Education. It’s under the Ministry of Health. And to this day, this remains the main hub in Cuba advancing the rights of queer and trans people. Think about it. Cuba’s government of the people proactively advances queer and trans rights. The government doesn’t just respond after the fact of a long struggle as in the U.S. 

For example, Cenesex spearheaded the development of a law providing state funding for gender-affirming surgery. It passed in 2008. 

Cuba has a popular democracy

And then in 2018, Cuba started a big process to write a new constitution. It’s remarkable how this was done.

We have to understand that because of their socialist system, Cuba has institutions of mass democracy that we do not have in the U.S. They have Committees for the Defense of the Revolution throughout the neighborhoods, and local councils made up of regular workers from those communities. 

They don’t have millionaire legislators like we do, making money through investments (bribes) from the corporations they’re supposed to be regulating, including the military industry. The representatives in Cuba’s Congress come from the working class. They come from the communities they serve and continue to live in their communities

Contrast Cuba’s approach to reform with Trump’s “big beautiful bill.” While Cubans carry out mass-democratic processes to reform their system, in the U.S., officials – who generally can’t be elected without big money – work in the dead of night to cram anti-people measures into legislation, including anti-trans legislation. All to enrich the few and take from the majority. 

(By the way, 75% of this budget is for the military, ICE, and the repressive state generally. This is a big giveaway to the rich war profiteers.)

Cuba has all these democratic mechanisms that we don’t have. Developing the 2019 Constitution involved people throughout the society, a mass consultative process. To create this constitution, they had meetings in the unions, women’s organizations, youth organizations, in the universities, and more. 

This constitution advances women’s and LGBT+ rights. Imagine if we had the opportunity to write a new constitution instead of having our rights decided by how unelected Supreme Court judges choose to interpret a document written by slave owners in the 1700s. 

Discrimination outlawed in constitution

Article 42 of Cuba’s 2019 Constitution says: 

“All people are equal before the law, receive the same protection and treatment from the authorities, and enjoy the same rights, liberties, and opportunities, without any discrimination for reasons of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ethnic origin, skin color, religious belief, disability, national or territorial origin, or any other personal condition or circumstance that implies a distinction injurious to human dignity. All people have the right to enjoy the same public spaces and service facilities. Likewise, they receive equal salary for equal work, with no discrimination whatsoever. The violation of this principle is proscribed and is sanctioned by law.”

So, they made many advances with the Constitution, but there was still resistance because of the colonial legacy of homophobia, etc. A lot of it came from the churches, but not all the churches. Many churches in Cuba support LGBTQ+ rights. But particularly the churches that are receiving funding and other influence from the U.S. and right-wing forces in Miami. These churches organized campaigns against any kind of progress for LGBTQ+ people. 

So, there was resistance. But over the next couple of years, revolutionaries campaigned to have a referendum for a new Families Code, to update the legal framework to reflect the ways that Cuban society has changed since the 1970s. They had to go back to the drawing board with another mass consultative process. They went through about 60 drafts of this new Families Code. Between February and April 2022, they held more than 79,000 meetings, with over 6.5 million participants, making more than 397,000 proposals. 

They held meetings in the neighborhoods, and people would raise issues, arguing them out. The population had a lot of input into creating this new code. And it passed with 66.85% of the votes in favor. The majority of the population voted to expand rights. That’s not an automatic process. That was a long process of mass democracy.

This Code recognizes all kinds of families, including those led by grandparents or step-parents. Or, say a lesbian couple and a gay male couple decide to start a family together, and they have children together. They are supported. 

The Code specifies that all rights acquired with the 1975 Family Code are maintained. Rights aren’t taken away; they are expanded.

Relations of affection and progressive autonomy

The Code recognizes relations of affection as the basis of the family, not just blood ties. This is a guiding principle, hence “love is the law.” Another guiding principle is “progressive autonomy.” That is to say, the autonomy and dignity of the individual are paramount – whether children, disabled people, or the elderly. Children and youth are recognized as having increasing, age-appropriate autonomy over their lives and bodies. 

“Family defense” offices are established. In the case of custody or domestic violence situations, for example, children and youth can go to these offices and get aid from social workers, lawyers, and psychologists. They are creating mechanisms to give these young people an age-appropriate say in how family life is handled. The focus is no longer on parental control, but on parental responsibility. 

Contrast this with the U.S. fascist movement’s focus on parents being able to control exactly which ideas their children are exposed to in school. They’re trying to limit children and youth from accessing information they need to understand their gender and sexuality. This is part of the push to dismantle public education and replace it with private schools and homeschooling.

Socialism allows people to flower

In Cuba, people aren’t vulnerable in the same way that we are in the U.S. For example, here, if your family is broken up because of domestic violence, you risk being homeless. Cuba has problems, many because of the U.S. blockade, but the people don’t have that kind of problem. Everybody has a right to housing. Nobody loses their health care because they leave a situation of domestic violence.

I asked a Cuban friend of our 2023 U.S. Friends Against Homophobia and Transphobia delegation whether she had paid maternity leave after her baby was born. She said, “Yes, one year. And nowadays, it is extended to 15 months.” This extension of benefits was enacted with Decree-Law 84 in 2024. 

Therefore, we must consider how all these aspects of socialist society support people so that they can truly flower.

That delegation to Cuba in May 2023 – organized by Women in Struggle-Mujeres en Lucha – focused on learning about the New Families Code. We met with Cuban trans and queer organizers at Cenesex headquarters. We met with delegates from the neighborhood assemblies. We went to the National Assembly of People’s Power and met with a deputy of the assembly. That’s like their version of the U.S. Congress. But they’re not millionaire career politicians. Even the highest-level representatives come from the communities and continue to work as plumbers, teachers, doctors, and so on.

Solidarity is the key

The blockade is not just economic. It’s political and also cultural. It’s a blockade of knowledge. Those of us struggling in the U.S. and other imperialist countries are being deprived of knowing about what’s possible with revolution, all while our rights are being reversed. 

But the Cuban people are absolutely in solidarity with us. As much as we’re in solidarity with them, they’re in solidarity with us. They care about our struggle in the U.S., in the belly of the beast. They want to see us secure our rights. They want a future where we can develop together. 

There’s a lot in this book. Everybody in our delegation wrote testimonies. We also have statements from Cuban people. Cenesex director Mariela Castro’s talk, which you heard earlier, is included.

A Cuban transmasculine activist named Verde gave a talk for us, which is included. His organization is doing incredible organizing. He describes the difficulties trans people face in being able to access hormones because of the blockade, made much worse when Trump put Cuba on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list in 2017. 

Let me say something about the State Sponsors of Terrorism designation. Biden took Cuba off the list at the very end of his term, even though he could have done it earlier. Trump put it right back on. 

But what audacity! The U.S. is literally committing genocide in Palestine right now, burning children alive in refugee camps. Cuba exports doctors and nurses. The U.S. bombs and sanctions. The monsters in Washington are the world’s number one terrorists. Take Cuba off the list!

Finally, I just want to emphasize again that this book is continuing a tradition, continuing the work that was done by comrades like Leslie Feinberg and Bob McCubbin. I hope this book will help bridge the generational gap, making the history of struggle more accessible. There is a continuity of struggle. We must push back against those attempting to erase history.

I hope it brings hope to people in the U.S. and elsewhere. There is an alternative to capitalist oppression. With socialist revolution, people can continually advance instead of always being on the defensive, fighting each new attack from the ruling class. So, I say:

Stonewall means fight back!

Take back Pride!

¡Hasta la victoria, siempre!

Baltimore, 7 de junio – La librería Urban Reads organizó una recepción para el lanzamiento del nuevo libro “El amor es ley: La revolución de los derechos queer en Cuba,” publicado por Struggle-La Lucha. Este libro documenta el desarrollo masivo y democrático del nuevo Código de las Familias en Cuba, un marco legal integral que amplía los derechos de mujeres, niñas y niños, personas LGBTQ+, personas de la tercera edad, personas con diferentes capacidades y, en última instancia, de todo el pueblo cubano. Urban Reads pertenece a personas negras, por lo que ha sido atacada en los últimos meses por neo-Nazis. Sin embargo, se mantienen firmes en su trabajo. ¡Solidaridad con Urban Reads! A continuación, la presentación realizada por el editor del libro, Gregory E. Williams. (Este libro es en inglés).

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¡Stonewall significa lucha!

Gracias por invitarme, ¡y feliz mes del Orgullo Gay! Este es un mes especial del Orgullo debido a las circunstancias de este período. El movimiento fascista está atacando las luchas de las personas queer y trans, así como las luchas de la clase trabajadora y de todos los oprimidos en muchos países. En los Estados Unidos, los fascistas aliados a Donald Trump tienen el control del gobierno. Por eso ahora es el momento de luchar.

Intentan aislar a la clase trabajadora y a las personas oprimidas de sus historias de lucha. Al atacar el Orgullo, intentan aislarnos del legado radical de Stonewall y Act Up. No lo atacan solo por razones culturales, porque “la gente está cansada de verlo,” como si la imagen fuera lo más importante. No se trata de la mercancía del Orgullo en las tiendas. Atacan la lucha misma. Atacan la idea misma de luchar, con la esperanza de que nos rindamos ante la opresión y la explotación.

Así que en este contexto, estoy aquí para hablar sobre la lucha LGBTQ+ en Cuba. Porque podemos aprender mucho de Cuba. Esta charla amplía una entrevista que le hice a Bob McCubbin, un veterano comunista y activista gay, cuyo análisis es fundamental para lo que voy a decir. Mientras lo entrevistaba, él quería entrevistarme a mí sobre este libro. Hoy tenemos disponible su libro en inglés, “The Social Evolution of Humanity: Marx and Engels Were Right!” (“La evolución social de la humanidad: ¡Marx y Engels tenían razón!“) Por favor, consiga una copia. 

Significado del Código de las Familias

Esta colección que hemos publicado a través de Struggle-La Lucha se llama “El amor es ley: La revolución de los derechos queer en Cuba.” “El amor es ley” es uno de los principales lemas utilizados en Cuba para promover el nuevo Código de las Familias, tema central de este libro. El Código supone una reforma integral del sistema legal, que amplía los derechos de las mujeres, las personas LGBTQ+, los niños y niñas, las personas de la tercera edad, las personas con diferentes capacidades y, en definitiva, de todo el pueblo cubano. Va mucho más allá del matrimonio igualitario.

El libro incluye el texto completo de “Solidaridad Arcoíris en defensa de Cuba” por Leslie Feinberg. Leslie Feinberg era una comunista transgénero nacida en EUA, una activista judía laica comprometida con la lucha de liberación palestina. (Leslie usaba los pronombres “ella” y “zie”). Zie había realizado un amplio análisis sobre lo que sucedía en Cuba hasta 2009, cuando se publicó “Solidaridad Arcoiris.” Este libro sirve de contexto para la aprobación del nuevo Código. Resumiré esa historia.

Hay mucha desinformación sobre Cuba. Los imperialistas promovieron la idea de que Cuba era homofóbica sin ponerlo en contexto. (Claro, al comienzo de la revolución cubana, en Estados Unidos, las personas queer y trans eran arrestadas rutinariamente, sometidas a terapia de choque, etc. Por eso ocurrió la rebelión de Stonewall).

En fin, Leslie analizó la historia del colonialismo en Cuba. Era una sociedad muy represiva. Cuba había sido colonizada por España. El pueblo cubano libró tres guerras de independencia durante el siglo 19. Después de eso, los imperialistas estadounidenses dominaron, tomando el control de las antiguas colonias españolas en Puerto Rico y Filipinas. Mantuvieron a Cuba en condiciones neocoloniales, explotando a los trabajadores y robando los recursos naturales para beneficio de Wall Street. En la década de 1950, el país estaba controlado por un dictador respaldado por EUA llamado Fulgencio Batista.

La Habana estaba básicamente controlada por la mafia para el turismo extranjero. Había mucho de lo que hoy llaman turismo sexual, donde entraban estos empresarios adinerados. Había redes de prostitución que atendían a personas de cualquier sexualidad. Así que gran parte de la vida gay, lesbiana y trans de aquella época estaba distorsionada por eso. Muchos se vieron obligados a prostituirse. Vivían al margen de la sociedad. Cuando los revolucionarios llegaron al poder en Cuba en 1959, tuvieron que lidiar con este legado.

En la época colonial, Cuba tenía un sistema esclavista, igual que en EUA. Los afrodescendientes eran esclavizados. Los revolucionarios también tuvieron que lidiar con este legado.

Tuvieron que resolver cómo integrar a las personas queer y trans en la nueva sociedad revolucionaria. Y los revolucionarios se ven afectados por los mismos prejuicios que cualquier otra persona. Son seres humanos. Cada persona se ve afectada por su contexto histórico. Es un proceso de aprendizaje. Tuvieron que desarrollar una comprensión mientras trabajaban para construir una sociedad mejor.

Las mujeres lideraron el camino

Y realmente, fue el movimiento de mujeres en Cuba el que abrió el camino. En los primeros años de la revolución, la Federación de Mujeres Cubanas realizó una gran labor, campañas de alfabetización, enseñando a leer a las trabajadoras agrícolas y muchas otras iniciativas extraordinarias. La revolución permitió a las mujeres asumir un papel más importante en la sociedad y promover sus propios derechos.

Y las organizaciones de mujeres encabezaron la creación del primer Código de Familia en 1975. Este fue un nuevo marco legal avanzado que amplió los derechos de las mujeres y los niños, proporcionando igualdad salarial y muchas otras cosas que aún no se han logrado en el capitalista Estados Unidos.

Durante la década de 1980, la epidemia del SIDA ya había estallado y afectó a Cuba. Adoptaron una postura proactiva para detener la propagación de la epidemia en su país. Brindaron atención médica y apoyo a las personas que contrajeron VIH y SIDA. Nadie tenía que preocuparse por perder su trabajo, quedarse sin hogar y morir en la calle. No, eso no es un problema en Cuba. Brindaron atención médica y vivienda a todos, y eso sigue siendo así hoy en día.

Bajo las condiciones terribles del bloqueo estadounidense, tuvieron que hacer todo esto con muy pocos recursos, pero pudieron atender a personas con VIH y SIDA en un momento en que, en EUA, bajo Reagan, el gobierno apenas reconocía la crisis. La gente tuvo que poner sus cuerpos en el terreno en las legislaturas e iglesias, con el grupo activista ACT UP, etc., exigiendo un poco de dignidad. Pero en Cuba, sí atendían a la gente.

Cenesex nació

A finales de los años 80, desarrollaron una organización llamada Cenesex, el Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual. Depende del Ministerio de Salud. Y hasta hoy, este es el centro principal en Cuba para promover los derechos de las personas queer y trans. Pensémoslo. El gobierno cubano del pueblo, promueve proactivamente los derechos de las personas queer y trans. El gobierno no responde simplemente después de una larga lucha, como en EUA.

Por ejemplo, el Cenesex lideró la elaboración de una ley que otorgaba financiación estatal a la cirugía de reasignación de género. Esta se aprobó en 2008.

Cuba tiene democracia popular

Y luego, en 2018, Cuba inició un gran proceso para redactar una nueva constitución. Es notable cómo se llevó a cabo.

Tenemos que entender que debido a su sistema socialista, Cuba tiene instituciones de democracia popular que no tenemos en EUA. Tienen Comités de Defensa de la Revolución en los barrios y consejos locales formados por trabajadores regulares de esas comunidades.

No tienen legisladores millonarios como nosotros, que se lucran con las inversiones de las corporaciones que se supone que deben regular, incluyendo la industria militar. Los representantes del Congreso cubano provienen de la clase trabajadora. Provienen de las comunidades a las que sirven y siguen viviendo en ellas.

Comparemos el enfoque de Cuba hacia la reforma con el “big beautiful bill,” el proyecto de ley de Trump. Mientras los cubanos llevan a cabo procesos democráticos masivos para reformar su sistema, en Estados Unidos, los funcionarios — que generalmente no pueden ser elegidos sin grandes sumas de dinero — trabajan a destiempo para introducir en la legislación medidas antipopulares, incluyendo leyes anti-trans. Todo para enriquecer a unos pocos y despojar a la mayoría. 

(Por cierto, el 75% de este presupuesto es para el ejército, la migra, y el estado represivo en general. Esto es un regalo para estos ricos traficantes de guerra y muerte.)

Cuba cuenta con todos estos mecanismos democráticos que nosotros no tenemos. La elaboración de la Constitución de 2019 implicó a toda la sociedad mediante un proceso consultivo masivo. Para crear esta constitución, se celebraron reuniones en sindicatos, organizaciones de mujeres, organizaciones juveniles, organizaciones estudiantiles, etc.

Esta constitución promueve los derechos de las mujeres y de las personas LGBT+. Imaginen si tuviéramos la oportunidad de redactar una nueva constitución en lugar de que nuestros derechos se decidan por la interpretación que jueces no electos de la Corte Suprema hagan de un documento escrito por esclavistas en el siglo 17. (La realidad en EUA.)

Discriminación prohibida por la constitución

El artículo 42 de la Constitución de Cuba de 2019 dice:

“Todas las personas son iguales ante la ley, reciben la misma protección y trato de las autoridades y gozan de los mismos derechos, libertades y oportunidades, sin ninguna discriminación por razones de sexo, género, orientación sexual, identidad de género, edad, origen étnico, color de la piel, creencia religiosa, discapacidad, origen nacional o territorial, o cualquier otra condición o circunstancia personal que implique distinción lesiva a la dignidad humana. Todas tienen derecho a disfrutar de los mismos espacios públicos y establecimientos de servicios. Asimismo, reciben igual salario por igual trabajo, sin discriminación alguna. La violación del principio de igualdad está proscrita y es sancionada por la ley.”

Así que lograron muchos avances con la Constitución, pero aún existía resistencia debido al legado colonial de homofobia, etc. Gran parte de esta resistencia provino de las iglesias, pero no de todas. Muchas iglesias en Cuba apoyan los derechos LGBTQ+. Las iglesias en oposición a los derechos, frecuentemente reciben financiación y otras influencias de EUA y de las fuerzas de derecha en Miami. Estas iglesias organizaron campañas contra cualquier tipo de progreso para las personas LGBTQ+.

Así que se encontraron con resistencia. Pero durante los dos años siguientes, los revolucionarios hicieron campaña para convocar un referéndum sobre un nuevo Código de las Familias, con el fin de actualizar el marco legal y reflejar los cambios que la sociedad cubana ha experimentado desde los años 70. Tuvieron que volver a la mesa de trabajo con otro proceso consultivo masivo. Revisaron unos 60 borradores de este nuevo Código de las Familias. Entre febrero y abril de 2022, se celebraron más de 79.000 reuniones, con más de 6.500.000 participantes, que presentaron más de 397.000 propuestas.

Se reunieron en los barrios y la gente planteó sus problemas y los debatió. La población tuvo una gran participación en la creación de este nuevo código. Y se aprobó con un 66,85% de votos a favor. La mayoría de la población votó a favor de ampliar los derechos. No fue un proceso automático. Fue un largo proceso de democracia de masas.

Este Código reconoce todo tipo de familias, incluidas las encabezadas por abuelos o padrastros. O, por ejemplo, si una pareja de lesbianas y una pareja de hombres gay deciden formar una familia juntos y tienen hijos, reciben apoyo. El Código especifica que se mantienen todos los derechos adquiridos con el Código de Familia de 1975. No se eliminan, sino que se amplían.

Relaciones afectivas y autonomía progresiva

El nuevo Código reconoce las relaciones afectivas como la base de la familia, no solo los lazos de sangre. Este es un principio rector, de ahí que “el amor es ley.” Otro principio rector es la “autonomía progresiva”. Es decir, la autonomía y la dignidad de la persona son primordiales, ya sean niños, personas con diferentes capacidades o personas de la tercera edad. Se reconoce a las y los niños y jóvenes una autonomía creciente, apropiada para su edad, sobre sus vidas y cuerpos.

Se han establecido oficinas de defensa familiar. En casos de custodia o violencia doméstica, por ejemplo, los niños y jóvenes pueden acudir a estas oficinas y recibir ayuda de trabajadores sociales, abogados y psicólogos. Se están creando mecanismos para que estos jóvenes tengan voz y voto, según su edad, en la gestión de la vida familiar. El enfoque ya no se centra en el control parental, sino en la responsabilidad parental.

Comparemos esto con el enfoque del movimiento fascista estadounidense en que los padres puedan controlar exactamente a qué ideas se exponen sus hijos en la escuela. Intentan limitar el acceso de niños y jóvenes a la información necesaria para comprender su género y sexualidad. Esto forma parte del esfuerzo por desmantelar la educación pública y reemplazarla con escuelas privadas y educación en la casa.

El socialismo permite que las personas florezcan

En Cuba, la gente no es tan vulnerable como en EUA. Por ejemplo, aquí, si tu familia se desintegra debido a la violencia doméstica, corres el riesgo de quedarte sin hogar. Cuba tiene problemas, muchos debido al bloqueo, pero la gente no tiene ese tipo de problema. Todos tienen derecho a la vivienda. Nadie pierde su atención médica por salir de una situación de violencia doméstica.

Le pregunté a una amiga cubana de nuestra delegación de Amigos Estadounidenses Contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia de 2023, si había tenido licencia de maternidad remunerada después del nacimiento de su bebé. Me respondió, “Sí, un año. Y ahora se extiende a 15 meses”. Esa extensión de la prestación social fue realizada por Decreto-Ley 84 en 2024.

Así que, debemos considerar cómo todos estos aspectos de la sociedad socialista apoyan a las personas para que puedan desarrollarse plenamente.

Esa delegación a Cuba en mayo de 2023, organizada por Mujeres en Lucha, se centró en aprender sobre el nuevo Código de las Familias. Nos reunimos con organizadoras trans y queer cubanas en la sede del Cenesex. Nos reunimos con delegadas de las asambleas vecinales. Fuimos a la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular y nos reunimos con una diputada. Es como su versión del Congreso de Estados Unidos. Pero no son políticos millonarios de carrera. Incluso los representantes de más alto nivel provienen de las comunidades y siguen siendo fontaneros, maestros, médicos, etc.

La solidaridad es la clave

El bloqueo no es solo económico. Es político y también cultural. Es un bloqueo del conocimiento. Quienes luchamos en EUA y otros países imperialistas, nos vemos privados de saber qué es posible con la revolución, mientras se revierten nuestros derechos.

Pero el pueblo cubano está absolutamente en solidaridad con nosotros. Tanto como estamos en solidaridad con ellos, ellos están en solidaridad con nosotros. Les importa nuestra lucha en EUA, en las entrañas del monstruo. Quieren vernos asegurar nuestros derechos. Quieren un futuro donde podamos desarrollarnos juntos.

Este libro contiene mucho. Todos los miembros de nuestra delegación escribieron testimonios. También contamos con declaraciones de cubanos. Se incluye la charla de la directora del Cenesex, Mariela Castro, que escucharon antes.

Un activista transmasculino cubano llamado Verde nos dio una charla que está incluida. Su organización está realizando una labor de organización increíble. Describe las dificultades que enfrentan las personas trans para acceder a hormonas debido al bloqueo, agravado aún más cuando Trump incluyó a Cuba en la lista de Estados Patrocinadores del Terrorismo en 2017.

Permítanme decir algo sobre la designación de Estados Patrocinadores del Terrorismo. Biden eliminó a Cuba de la lista al final de su mandato, aunque podría haberlo hecho antes. Trump los volvió a incluir inmediatamente.

¡Pero qué audacia! Estados Unidos está cometiendo un genocidio en Palestina ahora mismo, quemando vivos a niños en campos de refugiados. Cuba exporta médicos y enfermeras. EUA bombardea y sanciona. Los monstruos de Washington son los terroristas número uno del mundo. ¡Saquen a Cuba de la lista

Finalmente, quiero recalcar una vez más que este libro continúa una tradición, el trabajo de camaradas como Leslie Feinberg y Bob McCubbin. Espero que este libro ayude a cerrar la brecha generacional, haciendo más accesible la historia de la lucha. Hay una continuidad en la lucha. Debemos oponernos a quienes intentan borrar la historia.

Espero que traiga esperanza para la gente de EUA y de otros lugares. Existe una alternativa a la opresión capitalista. Con la revolución socialista, la gente puede avanzar continuamente en lugar de estar siempre a la defensiva, combatiendo cada nuevo ataque de la clase dominante. Así que, digo:

¡Stonewall significa lucha!

¡Recuperemos el Orgullo!

¡Hasta la victoria, siempre!

STOP THE WAR @ HOME & ABROAD

Israel launched a massive wave of airstrikes against Iran on June 12. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the operation would continue for days.

The attacks have targeted nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. Iran has been developing nuclear power capabilities for electricity generation, medical isotopes, and research. Nuclear power will provide Iran with energy independence and boost its economic development.

Key developments

• Explosions in Tehran: Smoke billowed over the city after strikes hit multiple targets, including high-rise housing complexes.
• IRGC chief killed: Iranian state media confirmed the assassination of IRGC Chief-of-Staff Hossein Salami in an Israeli strike. Dozens of casualties were reported.
• U.S.-Israel coordination: The attack followed a reported discussion of the strike plans between Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trump said that Israel has lethal military equipment manufactured by the U.S. and that “they know how to use it.”

Background

The U.S. and Israel have long prepared for such an attack, which could ignite a regional war. Over the past 18 months, the United States has bolstered its presence in West Asia with additional troops, warships, and missile defense systems.

The New York Times reported on April 16 that Israel, working closely with the Pentagon, had developed a plan to attack Iran. The plans required U.S. help “not just to defend Israel from Iranian retaliation, but also to ensure that an Israeli attack was successful, making the United States a central part of the attack itself.” 

The Times reported that Gen. Michael E. Kurilla discussed how the United States would support an Israeli attack. General Kurilla, with the blessing of the White House, began moving military equipment to West Asia. A second aircraft carrier, Carl Vinson, is now in the Arabian Sea, joining the carrier Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. The United States also moved two Patriot missile batteries and a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, known as a THAAD, to West Asia. Around a half-dozen B-2 bombers capable of carrying 30,000-pound bombs essential to destroying Iran’s underground nuclear program were dispatched to Diego Garcia, an island base in the Indian Ocean.

The Times report says that U.S. officials said privately that the weaponry was part of the planning for supporting Israel in a conflict with Iran. “Even if the United States decided not to authorize the aircraft to take part in a strike on Iran, Israel would know that the American fighters were available to defend against attacks by an Iranian ally. There were signs that Mr. Trump was open to U.S. support for Israeli military action against Iran.”

Broader context

The Israeli government’s claim that these attacks are acts of “self-defense” is a transparent lie. The real aim is to destroy any force in the region capable of resisting U.S. and Israeli domination, to secure the profits of the oil monopolies and arms manufacturers, and to crush the aspirations of the Palestinian, Iranian, and Arab masses for economic development, self-determination and social justice.

The attack comes as the U.S. continues to impose brutal economic sanctions on Iran, following Trump’s 2018 abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal. These sanctions are themselves acts of war, designed to starve the Iranian people into submission and pave the way for military intervention.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has deployed thousands of combat troops domestically and is preparing a massive military parade in Washington, a clear signal of its willingness to use force both abroad and against the working class in this country.

In May, the Struggle for Socialism Party (SSP) Los Angeles branch discussed the new book, “Against fascism: reclaiming populism’s legacy for today’s class struggle,” compiled by Louisiana socialist Gregory Williams. 

Following is a presentation for the series of classes, given by John Parker on May 10. He is an organizer with SFSP, the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice, and the Community Self-Defense Coalition, which is confronting ICE on the ground in Los Angeles.

Click here to follow the Harriet Tubman Center on Instagram, X, and Facebook, or donate to the center via Cash App, Venmo, and Patreon. 

BUY BOOK NOW  |  FREE PDF

Straight line from David Duke to Elon Musk’s Nazi salute

Today we had a big Community Self-Defense Coalition meeting. It was really good. About 71 people were here, and it went a little bit longer than usual. So, I’m just going to get right into it. 

I really enjoyed reading the section of the book, “Straight line from David Duke to Elon Musk’s Nazi salute.” The parallels really hit you. Like it says, it’s a straight line. But it’s also a straight line to Trump, to the fascists, and what’s going on right now. And it’s just amazing.

The political perspective that came from Sam Marcy was very helpful and unique to communist, socialist tendencies, putting the national question in the front, as well as understanding imperialism – especially U.S. imperialism – imperialism versus non-imperialist countries. Marcy’s analysis really shows the importance of being a part of the anti-imperialist struggle and being in solidarity with the nations fighting against imperialism.

And Sam Marcy, in the writings in this section, talked about what was going on in 1991, when former Klan leader David Duke was running for governor in Louisiana. And it just seems like Sam Marcy had a crystal ball in terms of what’s going on today, and how fascism is being used, and the context of the working-class struggle right now.

And he talks a lot about the differences between 1991 and the 1960s and 1970s, when other fascist folks like George Wallace and Lester Maddox were running for office. These folks were also fascists, but they were going upstream in terms of what was going on in the 1960s.

At that time, the movement was on the rise: the Civil Rights and other movements fighting against racism, the union struggles, the working-class struggles. So Wallace and Maddox were fighting that tide, and they weren’t as successful.

Economic conditions and fascism

That was more of a defensive use of fascism. But in the case of Duke in 1991, the situation for the workers was a lot worse. The economy was going down. Wages, health care, everything was going down. 

And it was easy to see who the enemy was: the corporations and the monopolies that were causing so much pain. But if you’re not political, you’re wondering, “Why am I suffering like this?” And if somebody comes along and they’re eloquent, and they give you somebody to hate and blame, they can divert you from the real struggle. They use racism, which is one of the main props of U.S. capitalism and imperialism.

And when you push fascism during a crisis, like Hitler did, you can be successful; you can divert people. And even if the corporations and banks don’t support you right away, they’ll eventually come around, like they did with Hitler. So, Duke was much more successful. He didn’t win the governorship, but he was much more successful in breaking through. 

His appeal went international, getting a lot further because of the context of what was going on. And that’s why Trump is so dangerous right now, because his appeal is coming at a time when our standard of living is going down – health care, wages, everything is just going down.

Current conditions and Trump’s takeover

It was a lot different for our generation or my parents’ generation, where many working-class people could get a house. Now, many people can’t even get a house. Union membership is also down. With these conditions, Trump and other fascist figures can say, “Okay, it’s the immigrants, it’s the migrants that are doing all this stuff.” That’s why we have to push back. 

The Democratic Party is also enabling this. They’re complicit. They’re not fighting. In fact, Biden, Obama, and other Democrats enabled it by attacking and deporting migrants. Obama’s record of formal detention hasn’t been broken. 

So, they set up the situation, and then Trump went and took it over from there. And now he’s just a blatant fascist. And you see Elon Musk with the Nazi salute and things like that. They’re kidnapping and torturing people. 

And it’s just unbelievable. And you think about the Gaza war and what they’re doing. Something like 14,000 children are due to die – starve to death. Babies are due to starve to death soon because of the United States and Israel.

But that’s why it’s so dangerous right now, when the economy is in decline, when people are looking for answers. Trump is a very dangerous individual. So, one of the main things I got from these readings is that the role of these fascists is to distract. From Hitler to Duke to Trump to Elon Musk, their role is to distract.

So, of course, they’re going to vilify people and use racist scapegoating. They vilify Palestinians, Iranians, and Chinese people. That’s their role, but they also make appeals to workers, promising to help their situation. They make promises, but they don’t deliver. They just cause destruction. 

Trump’s already doing it, right? He promises this, he promises that, and then you see what he’s really doing. He’s going to take away your Social Security, he’s going to take all these things away.

Corporate welfare and migrant exploitation

There is something from Sam Marcy’s writings in this book. He quotes one of the senators exposing corporate welfare. I mean, the fascists tell you, “Oh, it’s the welfare cheats, they’re taking your money away. The immigrants and migrants are taking the money away.”

Of course, that’s not true. Especially immigrant communities – migrant communities who are forced to pay taxes and don’t get any kind of benefit from that. They just get exploited. I’m just going to read from this.

“Nobody was more eloquent in describing how big business has brought about the real welfare system in the United States than the former Majority Leader and Whip from Louisiana, Senator Russell Long. In April 1967, he told  the Senate:

“Most campaign money comes from businessmen. … Many businessmen contribute to legislators who have voted to exempt their businesses from the minimum wage. Businessmen contribute to legislators who have fought against taxes that would have been burdensome to their businesses. … Power company officials contribute to legislators who vote against public power. … Bankers, insurance company executives, big moneylenders generally contribute to legislators who vote for policies that lead to high interest rates.

“Many large companies benefit from research and development contracts which carry a guaranteed profit. … In recent years, quite a battle has developed over the desire of government research contractors to obtain and keep lush private monopoly patent rights on those things discovered with billions of dollars of government research money. The possibility of windfall profits in this area defies imagination. …

“Drug companies are often able to sell brand-name drug products at anywhere from twice to 50 times the price of identical nonbranded products for welfare and Medicare patients. … 

“Executives of drug companies will contribute to legislators who vote to permit or bring about such a result.

“Executives of regulated companies contribute to legislators who vote to go easy on the regulation. …

“Many industries are subsidized. This includes the merchant marine, the ship builders, the sugar producers, the copper producers, and a host of others. …

“This list is merely illustrative; it could be elaborated upon and enlarged to include many more.”

And then Sam Marcy adds, “All this welfare for the rich corporations that run Louisiana, but has Duke ever told it like it is? Has he ever tried to mobilize the workers against these rich corporate criminals who thrive off government welfare?”

That’s what Sam Marcy was writing in 1991, and we see that, whoa, 50 times isn’t enough for how much these pharmaceutical companies are ripping off the workers nowadays!

To be continued. 

STAY IN THE STREETS!
SAY NO TO THE CURFEW!

ICE, National Guard, Marines and LAPD End the Occupation

Out of Los Angeles Now!

The military occupation of Los Angeles is illegal. The people of Los Angeles have a right to defend our neighbors, friends and loved ones against masked Gestapo ICE agents who are kidnapping and ripping families apart at random.
What has happened in our streets has been falsely framed not only by Donald Trump and Stephen Miller, but even our local politicians, who need to stand up against military occupation.
We call on Mayor Karen Bass to rescind the curfew and allow the people of Los Angeles to protest. As such, we cannot recognize the curfew, and in the tradition of the civil rights movement, we call for continued mass resistance and organizing.
The Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice and the Struggle for Socialism Party will continue to stay in the streets until the occupation ends.

Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice

Follow us on Instagram @Harriet Tubman Center – Facebook @Harriet TubmanCenterforSocialJustice

Large-scale demonstrations have swept across the United States against Trump’s mass deportation ICE raids, and the broader police and military repression. Mass rallies took place in major cities across the country, including New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Louisville, Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle and many more and in at least a half dozen Texas cities — Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and others.

In Baltimore on June 9, hundreds of people filled the downtown streets to show solidarity with Los Angeles protesters and to demand ICE out of Baltimore and Los Angeles.  Speakers and shouts from participants demanded “ICE Out of Everywhere!”  

The action was part of regular Monday protests held in front of the Federal Courthouse and Detention Center, initiated by #EyesOnICE. The local protest grew in size and scope following the repression in Los Angeles by ICE, police and National Guard.

Here is a short clip of a speaker at McKeldin Plaza before protesters marched to the federal detention center.  

Additionally, over 30 protests were held across the country in support of David Huerta, president of SEIU California, who was arrested during a workplace immigration raid on June 6 and released on June 9. Huerta, who confronted ICE at a workplace incursion, was charged with federal conspiracy to impede an officer, which carries a six-year prison term.

Los Angeles, June 9 — For three straight days, furious protests rocked Los Angeles as federal ICE gangs terrorized working-class communities. Sunday saw the largest crowds yet, reflecting mounting outrage among broader layers of the population.

President Donald Trump branded Los Angeles a city in “state of rebellion” and federalized the National Guard, ordering 2,000 troops into the city. Within 24 hours, he escalated further — announcing the deployment of 700 Marines to LA’s oppressed communities. The country’s second-largest city now sits under military occupation.

ICE has been rampaging across L.A., snatching up workers in mass raids — and this may only be the beginning of what is to come throughout the country. 

Sources say the raids are expected to continue for a month — at least that may be the plan by the fascists in the White House. But, as has happened so many times throughout history, the capitalist rulers seem to have underestimated the resolve of the working class. 

This began last week, when Trump’s fascist Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller, ordered ICE gangs to carry out Trump’s demands and triple the number of detentions of undocumented workers compared to earlier this year.  

In response, ICE shifted from mainly kidnapping smaller numbers from their homes or on the streets to raiding workplaces and waiting outside immigration courts. They are now kidnapping much larger numbers at a time. 

Families are being ripped apart as the raids and arrests have spiked, and entire neighborhoods have hit the streets in a courageous defense against the escalating workplace invasions. 

Community resistance erupts across the city

The anger throughout the city is palpable, and the protests over the last several days have drawn throngs of people, both from L.A.’s migrant communities and their supporters. On Friday, June 6, thousands faced off against ICE agents aided by Los Angeles cops for hours, enduring tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bang grenades as the new Gestapo tried to break up a protest at the downtown L.A. Federal Detention Center. The LAPD is, by law, prohibited from assisting ICE in any of its activities, a law they’ve blatantly defied.

Another standoff lasted all day long near a Home Depot in the town of Paramount and also in Compton on Saturday. In Paramount, the sky was filled with tear gas and smoke from fires lit in the street by protesters. Late in the day, ICE vehicles were pelted with rocks as their caravan was chased out. 

On Sunday, the Detention Center became the epicenter again, with tens of thousands in a standoff with ICE and the police agencies that are illegally aiding the racist attacks. Many thousands marched and blocked the 101 freeway in a spectacular demonstration of solidarity with the victims of this reactionary rampage.  

For three days now, protesters have been sprayed with tear gas, and some have been seriously injured by projectiles from the gas canisters and flash bang grenades, but they’ve kept coming back. They’ve hurled debris back at the secret federal police agents who had plenty of protective gear. They’ve yelled and chanted, refusing LAPD orders to disperse. Anti-ICE and anti-Trump graffiti are now visible on the walls of numerous government buildings in the Civic Center area of downtown Los Angeles. 

The brave responses of people in L.A.’s communities have been similar to those in the Boston area, Minneapolis, San Diego, Chicago, Seattle, and other communities in recent weeks. Now, the anger has simply exploded on a much larger scale. 

Trump declares ‘state of rebellion’

The repressive forces of the capitalist state are momentarily caught off guard by widespread anger and by the people’s determination to stop the fascist abductions and deportations. The U.S. ruling class appears to be confused and possibly even at odds with each other over how to respond. 

L.A. is supposed to be a sanctuary city – the claim is that none of the local police agencies are supposed to aid ICE operations. But, L.A. County Sheriffs and LAPD have been conducting a war against the community to try to clear out protesters from the communities. 

The brass from both agencies say that they’re not helping ICE operations, but if ICE agents claim to be in danger, the LAPD joins in attacking the communities. Clearly, sanctuary claims are a smokescreen. Local police forces arrested nearly 60 people on Friday and Saturday.

ICE detained 118 workers on immigration charges over the same two days, including SEIU California President David Huerta. He required hospitalization after being knocked to the ground by ICE agents and hitting his head on a curb. Huerta faces federal charges of obstructing access to a worksite.

As important Democratic Party figures, California Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass are saying they are in opposition to Trump and his fascist gangs. Both raised objections to the raids in the press. Newsom went so far as to dare DHS leader Tom Homan to arrest him. 

But as Ron Gochez pointed out on “Democracy Now” on June 9, Newsom is still ostensibly in charge of the state’s National Guard.  

Gochez told listeners, “Talk is cheap. Gov. Newsom can order the National Guard to stand down and has not done so. Here in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is saying she is against the raids, well, why are her police officers aiding and collaborating with ICE to attack the community? … Those rubber bullets and the gas they’re shooting are aimed at the wrong people. They should be aimed at the agents who are trying to kidnap the people in our community.”

Coalition builds community defense network

Gochez is a leading member of Unión del Barrio, which initiated the broad Community Self-Defense Coalition. Over 80 organizations participate in weekly meetings to strategize, help to organize protests, and importantly, patrol the streets to spot ICE agents preparing for raids. 

When community patrols spot ICE vehicles, they go to work warning workers and handing out literature to advise people of their legal rights, which may help them step away from being abducted by ICE. When they encounter an ICE operation as it is happening, they use sound equipment to project their voices and let would-be victims know that, without a warrant, ICE is not legally allowed to enter a home or a workplace. 

The reach of the coalition’s strategy is expanding week by week. A group of activists from Ventura County – 60 miles to the north of L.A. – that has been in touch with CSDC leaders, prevented deportations when a factory worker they had been in touch with refused to let ICE agents into the Oxnard, California, factory and turned them away. 

Much of the U.S. media is now clucking its collective tongue to shame protesters over “violent” protests. They may be referring to several self-driving taxis that were torched, harming no one. So far, the violence has been from ICE and the police.

Gochez ended the Democracy Now interview with an answer to the self-righteous condemnations when he closed the show by saying, “The Trump administration is trying to make an example of Los Angeles, which is the heart of the Mexican and Central American community in the U.S. We cannot afford to fail. The resistance will continue. We will be peaceful when we can, but when we face violence, we have every right to defend ourselves.”

Unions rally for arrested leader

In Washington, D.C., workers rallied across from the Justice Department on June 9 as part of national protests to end deportation raids and to free arrested California union leader David Huerta. 

Huerta, President of the Service Employees International Union – United Service Workers West, was brutalized and arrested June 6 during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Los Angeles workplace. 

Although Huerta was released on bond today, he is charged with federal conspiracy to impede an officer, which carries a six-year prison term — a court date of July 7.

In addition to rallies and marches across the country, at least one student walkout joined the large action in Los Angeles.

A very public and escalating feud has unfolded between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who until recently served as Trump’s head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The feud went public when Musk fiercely criticized Trump’s signature fiscal plan — the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

The public clash between Trump and Musk lays bare the deepening fractures within the ruling class. While these billionaires battle over how to manage the turmoil, their real conflict isn’t about principles — but over which faction of the oligarchy will dictate.  

Behind the spectacle of personal insults and retaliatory threats lies a fundamental agreement: that workers must bear the brunt of austerity, wage cuts, and gutted social programs. The dispute is over how aggressively to push the agenda — and who stands to benefit most from it.  

A symptom of systemic decay

As the ruling class fights over tax breaks, tariffs, government contracts and how much to cut social services, the real crisis — the exploitation and immiserization of the vast majority — continues unchecked. Their feud is not a break in the system, but a symptom of its decay.

Musk officially departed the Trump administration last Friday, marking the end of his role as a “special government employee” overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency that spearheaded attacks on federal workers and the dismantling of entire government departments and services.

In interviews and social media posts, Musk condemned Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which would extend tax cuts for the wealthy and further gut social programs. While Musk did not object to the tax cuts — unsurprising given his vast fortune — he criticized the bill for its excessive “pork,” meaning not deep enough cuts in social services.  

Trump threatened to retaliate against Musk by canceling billions in federal contracts, which coincided with a dramatic 14% drop in Tesla’s stock, resulting in a $34 billion loss for Musk, the largest single-day loss on record. Trump also withdrew the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally, to lead NASA — another blow to Musk’s influence over lucrative government contracts.

Economic instability fuels the feud

The dispute touches on broader economic instability. 

The U.S. economy contracted more sharply than initially reported in early 2025, with economic output per person falling 0.7% as businesses stockpiled goods ahead of expected tariffs. It’s the first economic contraction (as measured by GDP per capita) since 2022, but the situation was worse than the headline numbers suggested. In plain English, this means that conditions are declining for the working class, and people are getting poorer. 

Musk has also attacked Trump’s tariff policies, which threaten both his own corporate empire — deeply dependent on Chinese markets and supply chains — and the broader global operations of U.S. finance capital. The business press has focused on the surge in gold prices and the weakening U.S. dollar, developments that risk destabilizing Wall Street and the U.S.-dominated global financial system.  

Ruling class infighting goes public

Since Trump launched his April 2 “Liberation Day” tariff bomb, the world financial markets crashed, the bond market panicked, and the price of gold soared, the dollar weakened, all leading to a political crisis. Additionally, a cycle of capitalist overproduction, leading to recession, is developing in the background.

Trump immediately pulled back on the tariffs, though only partially. But the internecine fight within the ruling class began then, as Trump appeared to be failing, driving the country toward economic chaos and possible collapse. That fight has now spilled into the open; it’s not just Trump and Musk. It’s only going to get worse unless there’s a mass working-class upsurge, maybe a general strike to shut them down.

Just over 11 years ago, fascist mobs cheered in central Kiev as the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU) roared with flame. The FPU’s headquarters, known as the Trade Union House, was a target of the right-wing crowds throughout the “EuroMaidan” protests in 2014. 

It should be noted, this was not the only trade union hall that Maidan mobs burned. Just three months after the attack on the Kiev Trade Union House, Ukrainian neo-Nazis burned the Odessa House of Trade Unions, murdering nearly 50 labor organizers and progressive activists. If only Ukraine’s fascist war on labor unions ended there. 

Fast forward to the present day. As of April of this year, the Ukrainian government placed FPU president Grigoriy Osovyi under house arrest and illegally seized the Trade Union house and all affiliated assets. Control of the 14,000-square-meter property, worth 850 million Ukrainian hryvnia, or approximately $20 million, was handed over to the Kamparitet business consortium. The consortium manages all assets seized by fascist Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian government also moved against trade union organizations in Lviv. The Lviv Regional Council seized the local Trade Union House from the Association of Trade Unions of the Lviv Region. The Ukrainian regime took similar actions against unions in Poltava and Zakarpattia, confiscating various trade union property. The largest trade union coalitions in Europe, the ITUC and the EPSU, have both condemned these policies. 

Ukraine’s recent repressive actions against its labor movement represent a broader fascist assault against the country’s working class. Before the Ukrainian parliament is a draft law that would represent an existential threat to labor unionism in Ukraine. This abomination is formally known as Draft Law No. 6420 “On the legal regime of property of trade union public associations (organisations) of the former USSR.” This law is part of Ukraine’s ongoing disgraceful “decommunization” campaign. Ukraine’s “decommunization” policy is set on destroying socialist and working-class history and replacing it with fascist mythology. 

Draft Law No. 6420 would completely legalize the fascist government’s seizures of union property. Further, the law would allow employers to unilaterally suspend union contracts and cease salary payments to employees who are mobilized into the country’s military. Currently, Ukrainian private employers are required to pay a base salary to all workers sent to the front lines. 

These policies are aimed at one thing: completely dismantling what remains of organized labor in Ukraine. Zelensky’s fascist assault on labor union property and leaders reflects a broader agenda in the region. In its current form, the Ukrainian government is entirely propped up by U.S. and European military and financial aid. As such, there is tremendous pressure on Ukraine from the West to ramp up the profit margin on its investments. What better way to do this than through martial law, austerity, and the stripping of all workers’ rights and organizations? 

Ukraine has given us another example of its transparent role as a Western running dog in the U.S. imperialist war against the global working class. Ukraine’s internal fascist repression against the labor movement reflects a country being molded to further serve the interests of NATO and U.S war profiteers.