Global Battle Lines Are Being Drawn For The Coming 'Cold War II'

Cuba Celebrates 64 Years of Revolution, Lula Inaugurated As President of Brazil, How Obscure Algorithms Govern Gig Work

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Arnold August, a Montreal-based author of 3 books on US-Cuba-Latin America relations to discuss the anniversary of Cuba’s socialist revolution, what Cuba was like before the revolution, how the support of the people was crucial in the success of the revolution and how the support of the people for Cuba’s government endures, and what Cuba’s revolution has meant for the world.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Brian Mier, co-editor of Brasil Wire and author of Year of Lead: Washington, Wall Street and the New Imperialism in Brazil to discuss the inauguration of Lula da Silva as President of Brazil and what priorities his government will have, the political landscape of Brazil that bodes well for Lula’s ability to govern, the state of the far-right in Brazil and why many of Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters are unlikely to commit further acts of political violence, and what Lula’s presidency will mean on the global stage and for the global south.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by technologist Chris Garaffa, co-host of the CovertAction Bulletin podcast to discuss how algorithms are governing the work of gig workers and why the lack of transparency about them can make for confusing and unsafe work, recent attacks on the Signal messaging app and the broader concept of privacy and how it connects to the broader war on encrypted communication, the danger posed by recent data breaches affecting the LastPass password management system and what LastPass is hiding about those breaches, and why Elon Musk is making a big deal about providing Starlink internet services to people in Iran.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, Moores Professor of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston, and author of dozens of books, including “The Counter-Revolution of 1836: Texas Slavery & Jim Crow and the Roots of U.S. Fascism” to discuss the battle lines being drawn for a “Cold War II” between China and the US and how it might play out in places such as Africa and Ukraine, the critical injury sustained by Buffalo Bills Cornerback Damar Hamlin and how it exemplifies the brutality imposed on Black mens’ bodies by the NFL, and Dr. Horne’s upcoming book focusing on Washington, DC.

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