U.S. Voices Against the Blockade | Episode 3: Justine Medina
May 11, 2026
Justin Medina is a barista and Cuban-American activist opposed to the embargo imposed by the U.S. government on Cuba, the island she considers her other homeland.
After multiple visits to Cuba, she says conditions have worsened: food shortages, scarcity of medicine and constant blackouts that make daily life harder.
According to Justine, this war, which has lasted 66 years and has intensified over time, only causes more suffering for the people.
“I grew up hearing criticism of the Cuban government,” says Justine, who was raised in Florida. “But I also learned that the embargo should end.” U.S. Voices Against the Blockade is a new series featuring Americans who oppose U.S. sanctions on Cuba.
Watch Episode 3 to hear from Cuban-American activist Justine Medina and stay tuned to meet other U.S. activists who oppose the embargo.
Related Stories
Share this Report
-
“It's horrible the way that the regular Cuban people are made to suffer because of this war on Cuba from the United States,” said Justine Medina, Cuban-American activist.
“I’m a Cuban-American activist, and I work with other Cuban Americans to oppose the embargo,” Medina said.
“We come together across politics to fight the embargo, to fight the blockade, to make sure that our families and our loved ones and the country that we care so much about, our other homeland, get what they need,” the activist added.
“I grew up in Florida,” Medina said.
“A lot of my family has a lot of criticisms of the Cuban government, and I learned a lot of that growing up,” she explained.
“But I also learned growing up that the embargo should end and that there should be trade and friendship between the two countries,” Medina added.
“This is my fifth time in Cuba,” she said.
“It’s been amazing coming because the people are so friendly, and it’s such a beautiful country,” Medina noted.
“But it’s also been heartbreaking because there’s more struggle now than I’ve ever seen before,” she added.
“People are having a harder time getting food and medicine, with the blackouts happening all the time it’s hard to work and to have a job,” the activist said.
“It makes me really happy being here with my people,” Medina said.
“But it makes me sad to see such a struggle,” she added.
“And it makes me so angry at the American government’s policies toward my second homeland,” Medina continued.
“And it makes me want to fight even harder to end the embargo,” she said.
“This war has been going on for 66 years, and it’s only been intensified over time and it should not be this way,” Medina argued.
“When you sanction another country, you don’t change the policies of that government,” she said.
“You just make the people suffer,” Medina concluded.
Support Independent Journalism from Cuba
