> because the US

Reducing the root cause to the US is ludicrous. Cuba had agency and their government made some horrific choices for their citizens.

I was there about 20 years ago and it was the most depressing place I've ever visited: the authoritarianism and corruption and tragedy was so visibly prevalent . . . even to a tourist. It was frightening because problems are usually better hidden from foreigners.

Summarising a complex situation as though it has one simple cause is a human sign of ignoring complexity or systems.

Yes, the impact of US political choices was deeply hideous. That doesn't excuse the Cuban government from their choices about how to deal with that.