Cuban Streets Belong to the Cuban People
10 Min Read
Protests recently broke out on the streets of Cuba, condemning the growing pressure as a result of the pandemic and economic struggles. The US spared no effort in seizing the opportunity of playing the cards in its favor.
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Cuba witnessed a wave of protests in light of economic and pandemic pressure.
Anti-government masses took to the streets of Cuba on Sunday, July 11, creating a media-made illusion of a widespread rejection of the Cuban revolution, which overthrew former President Fulgencio Batista’s dictatorship in 1959.
The spontaneous riots took place in light of the inhuman US embargo and pandemic precautions that mounted pressures on the Cuban people. Citizens protested against the difficult conditions that, without doubt, were in favor of the US-backed efforts to destabilize the island.
The island, like many other countries, is struggling with economic conditions. However, in 2021, the economic crisis reached its peak. Cuba was forced to abandon the dual currency system and witnessed a 40% decline in exports, affecting the economy by 11%.
Running for the open shot, the United States responded to the political scene by raising “humanitarian” concerns and trying to depict the masses protesting against the difficult economic situations as being counter-revolutionary. This is evident in the US statements that backed mysterious counter-revolutionary social accounts in favor of a “military intervention”.
However, pro-revolutionary rallies were quick to take over the streets in rejection of the US embargo, which is the main reason behind the pressures and struggles of the economy and the pandemic.
Canel: US Failed to Destroy Cuba
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel mobilized his people to “defiantly face” provocations by US-backed counter-revolutionary protesters. So, the people called the US out for its “illegal” embargo on the island and hailed the Cuban revolution.
Canel also emphasized that the US measures against Havana aim to asphyxiate the economy to "to be able to call for a humanitarian intervention that ends in military intervention and interference."
That said, US President Biden addressed the recent events saying, “We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime”.
In response, President Canel said, on Friday, July 16, that the United States "has failed in its efforts to destroy Cuba," adding that “if President Joseph Biden had sincere humanitarian concern for the Cuban people, he could eliminate the 243 measures implemented by President Donald Trump, including the more than 50 cruelly imposed during the pandemic, as a first step towards ending the blockade."
He continued, "The United States was unable to save many of the 600,000 people who died as a result of the Covid pandemic due to the ineffectiveness of its administration, and it has a shameful record of wars, violence, brutal repression, racism, and human rights violations."
Maduro: Brothers, For Better or Worse
Several countries of the international community were quick to respond to the anti-revolutionary protests, condemning the US embargo on Cuba.
The Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stressed the necessity of lifting the US embargo on Cuba, pointing out that the US sanctions on this country limit trade in it.
Obrador added that his country's decision to send fuel to Cuba is a sovereign one.
On her part, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday, July 15, "If the US is truly concerned about the humanitarian situation in Cuba, it should lift the siege that the global community has imposed on Cuba."
She stressed, “We ask Washington to finally take an objective stance, ridding itself of hypocrisy and double standards.”
For his part, the Argentinian President stood in solidarity with Cuba stressing that, “there is nothing more inhumane than economically blocking a country during a pandemic. When you block a country, you block a society, and that is the least humanitarian thing there is.”
In addition, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stressed his full support for the Cuban people, the Cuban government, and his Cuban counterpart, saying that the people of Venezuela and Cuba are brothers, for better or worse, and that Cuba will move on.
An “Unconventional” War
It is worth noting, in this context, that one of the most threatening tools used today in creating chaos with the aim of destabilizing a country is using social platforms.
Cuba is exposed to an unconventional war where social media and social platforms are playing a major role that is directly related to the economic war in Cuba.
It is evident that the US imposed its embargo on Cuba, in an attempt to feed an economic war on the island.
The economic war created many struggles for the Cuban population. Nevertheless, the media is playing a big role in marginalizing the consequences of the economic war as the main factor behind the struggles in the country and pointing fingers at the Cuban government.
Here a question cannot but be asked: If the US were to broadcast the pro-revolutionary protests, would its sanctions on the country still be "justified"?
That said, the US was in control of how the Cuban scene was portrayed, by manipulating the viewers and convincing them of an ongoing Cuban uprising against the government. This also constitutes an attempt to justify their so-called “humanitarian” intervention, which is, without doubt, solely for political and economic goals.
Western media outlets broadcasted the rallies that were in support of the Cuban government and against the US blockade as demonstrations against the Cuban government, shifting the political scene as they pleased to their favor.
The state of calm imposed after the pro-revolution masses took to the streets was not broadcasted on western media outlets, and the pro-revolutionary rallies were either not covered or were portrayed as anti-Cuban rallies.
Moreover, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused the US-backed social media campaigns of creating illusions of social uprisings against the government.
Social War Campaigns
British academic Helen Yaffe from Cuba tweeted ‘SOSCuba’ mostly through bots and fake accounts to disseminate messages on Twitter that call for a “US military intervention”, as aforementioned.
Fake accounts were caught making up to five retweets per second between July 10 and 11, in light of the outbreak of protests in Cuba.
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Bots were caught retweeting anti-revolutionary tweets
🚨#SOSCuba
— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) July 29, 2021
Thank you to all of my colleagues from across #America who have joined us in standing with the Cuban people in their fight for freedom & democracy!
My community is forever grateful for your solidarity and support.🇨🇺🙏🏼🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VwE84ZX3hT
The ignorants will choose to focus on other matters expect what this is really about FREEDOM & an end to the murderous regime. The regime has plenty of resources, they are not isolated, they CHOOSE not to provide to the people #SOSCuba
— Cvargas08 (@Cvargas081) July 29, 2021
In addition, 'Humanitarian Corrdior' was tweeted as well, but both in favor and against the Cuban revolution.
"In Cuba, we don’t need a ‘humanitarian corridor’. In Cuba, what we need is for the blockade to be lifted."
— Kawsachun News (@KawsachunNews) July 17, 2021
Cuba's Ambassador in Nicaragua, Juan Carlos Padrón at the Francisco Morazan School in Managua. pic.twitter.com/GFGeS5J5X8
No it is not Havana, Cuba, it is France...
— Carlo (@CarloTresero) July 21, 2021
Isn't the US govt going to create a humanitarian corridor, intervene, organize regime change against Macron, coup d'etat & end dictatorship regime of France?? Why not?
US has been trying to do it in Cuba under false pretenses for 60 yrs. https://t.co/fDENgu4JS1
America’s Tentacles Reach Cuba
The Cuban revolution was victorious in 1959, after overthrowing the former dictatorship governed by Fulgencio Batista. He had turned the democratic island into a police state, with full US support for his reign of terror.
Ending the dictatorship meant ending the US intervention in Cuba’s trade and government. Thus, having lost control of the island, the United States imposed the first set of sanctions on Cuba in 1967, beginning a series of sanctions that created the longest siege.
The Longest Siege
After the missile crisis in 1962, the United States imposed harsh economic and political sanctions on Cuba. Former US President John F. Kennedy discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba and quickly responded by imposing the sanctions, which came in response to what is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.
However, the major consequence on Cuba was the political isolation that the country faced in the years and decades that followed.
Helms-Burton 1996
After shooting down two planes with American-Cuban pilots, the United States imposed tighter sanctions by introducing the “Helms-Burton” Act in March 1996. The Act was meant to tighten economic sanctions on the island.
Helms-Burton was established during the term of former US President Bill Clinton. It is a US federal law that includes Title III, which allows US citizens who have a property in Cuba confiscated by the state to file a suit in the United States against persons that may be allegedly “trafficking” in the property.
Bush Pushes Forward
In May 2004, US President at the time, George W. Bush Jr., announced a new plan to tighten sanctions on Cuba. His two-year plan included a $59 million budget to support anti-revolutionary activities on the island.
The new restrictions also reduced remittances from Cuban-Americans in half and imposed restraints on family visits between the two countries.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Former US President Barak Obama’s term witnessed an agreement between the US and Cuba, which slightly lightened the sanctions. He loosened up some trade and travel restrictions introduced by the longstanding embargo against the island.
However, Obama’s traces did not last too long before former US President Donald Trump ended the ties and reinforced the sanctions on the island, thus tightening the embargo and costing the country billions in losses.
In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Cuban government condemned the US tight embargo on the island. It stated that the blockade of Cuba is the most unjust and lengthy in history.
It is worth mentioning that even with the pressure of tight sanctions, Cuba was able to support 21 countries that were suffering from the pandemic.
In addition, the island was able to produce two local Coronavirus vaccines to combat the virus.
Today, the new US President Joe Biden continued what Trump has begun, not following in the former Democratic President's footsteps.
Instead of loosening sanctions or reviving diplomatic ties with the island, Biden stated, “My administration is imposing new sanctions targeting elements of the Cuban regime responsible for this crackdown… to hold them accountable for their actions. This is just the beginning.”
From the People, For the People
Cuba adopts non-partisan elections that allow all citizens to vote. The political structure consists of 169 municipal assemblies, 14 provincial assemblies, the National Assembly of People's Power, and the Council State.
It is noteworthy that the election participation percentage has always witnessed high rates. The latest elections counted an 86.19% participation rate.
Direct Democracy System
Cuba has a direct democracy system, which means that the people decide on plans of action or policy initiatives directly.
The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) is a network of neighborhood committees across Cuba that works in social welfare promotion, prevention of diseases, waste management, and recycling development.
The group also sends feedback proposals to the National Assembly to suggest any changes. Other mass organizations, namely the Women's Federation, Trade Union, Student Association, and the Association of Small Farmers, are also represented in the National Assembly.
The Electoral System
Elections proceed through secret ballots, with no restrictive measures on who to vote for. It is true that the Communist Party makes a big part of the Cuban Revolution's history, but it does not in any way interfere in the elections, and people are not obliged to vote for communist candidates.
During the elections, elementary students are charged with guarding the polling booths. This act allows parents or guardians to vote freely without having to worry about their young ones.
The calm atmosphere ends with the ballot counting that any citizen can be present to observe, thus maintaining the full transparency of the elections.
