Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Randy Caravaggio, John Helmer February 18, 2026

This Week on GRadio

by C.L. Cook - GRadio.Substack.com

 

February 18, 2026 

 

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 18th, 2026

  

Listen. Hear.

 

The American blockade of Cuba is not news, it’s been going on from the early days of the revolution more than sixty-five years ago; what is new is an American desperation that now threatens friend and foe alike with its economic nuclear option. The latest iteration of the threat to Cuba’s survival - the energy embargo - is one none have so far dared challenge for fear of the hegemon; including stalwart allies Venezuela and Mexico.

Randy Caravaggio is a long-time organizer with the Victoria Friends of Cuba. Begun as the Victoria Goods for Cuba Campaign, Randy and his comrades have worked to supply the embattled Caribbean island nation with vital medical and other necessary supplies for the last thirty-three years, and more. And they’re just back from the latest mission there.

Randy Caravaggio in the first half.

And; last week Russian Embassy officials in Cuba said Russia “planned to deliver oil and oil products to Cuba as humanitarian aid.” Just when and how those shipments were to begin was left hanging; described by embassy staff to the Tass news agency only as occurring sometime “in the near future”.

But can Russia afford to take on another front in the undeclared War America and its vassals are waging against it, and the rest of an uncooperative World?

John Helmer’s a journalist and author who’s spent decades living in and reporting from Russia. He’s the principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears and has - as well as serving as advisor to governments at the highest level - too been a professor of political science, sociology, and journalism.

Among Helmer’s many book titles are: ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17’, ‘Skripal in Prison,’ the Skripal sequel, ‘LONG LIVE NOVICHOK! The British Poison that Fooled the World’. His latest is the newly released, ‘The Navalny-Novichok Complex: Chronicle of a Staging’. John’s latest article at Dances with Bears is ‘THE PESKOVITES ARE DESPERATE AS PUTIN PLACES HIS BIGGEST BET’ a behind the scenes look at the diplomatic dynamics determining war and/or peace between the atomic superpowers.

John Helmer and the global war you’re not seeing in the second half.

But first, Randy Caravaggio and Cuba’s friends in deeds.

 

Music: David Rovics/Ai Tsuno

Song: ‘In the Moments Before the Third World War’

 

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at:

https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

and on Telegram at: https://t.me/gorillaradio2024