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Anti-government Protests in Cuba

Anti-government Protests in Cuba
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the country of Cuba has seen tremendous uproar from its citizens. Thousands of people have taken to the streets protesting against the communist regime in the most significant Anti-government revolts in decades. Protesters have spanned across 30 different areas around the island, including Havana. The protesters have thwarted the government’s attempts to keep the protests in Cuba under wraps by showcasing their efforts via social media, making the revolting world-known.

What are the Protests in Cuba About?

The current protests are responding to several issues that emerged during the pandemic. Some problems include an 11% decrease in the nation’s economy, leaving many citizens without food to eat and no medicine to treat their sick. They are protesting against the dictatorship regime and want to fight for more freedom in what they do. They are also protesting against the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected over 7,000 people and killed 47.

When the coronavirus hit, Cuba had to close its borders, preventing tourists from visiting the island. The United States imposed sanctions on sugar exports, costing the government $5.5 billion in 2020. As a result, Cuba is experiencing an economic crisis, which has resulted in the loss of many jobs and an increase in unemployment.

In response, citizens have taken over the street, successfully shutting down entire expressways for their cause. Beginning on Sunday, July 11, citizens have taken to social media to express their outrage for their leaders. They were requesting a political change, vandalizing areas in which they operate and attempting to deliver their message.

“It’s time for things to change. The situation is critical,” said 22-year-old construction worker Christian Veliz in an interview with AP News.

The Cuban Government has then reacted to these protests with police authority. So far, the police have dispersed all demonstrations across the country, even going into people’s homes to arrest them. Police arrested and locked up about 100 citizens. Another 150 to 200 people have reportedly gone missing.

“People are dying in the streets at the hand of the police. The government denies help to those hurt,” said Adrian Artega in an interview with Wink News.

The Government’s Response

To stop the protests, the government has even shut down the internet nationwide, making it difficult for people to communicate and continue their efforts on social media. Cubans are now using word-of-mouth and social media to keep the protest going and gain international support.

After a while, the Cuban government softened its stance on the protesters and tried to defuse the situation. Now that Cuba has lifted the internet ban along with food and medicine taxes, all Cubans can access these goods. However, many feel as though it is too little, too late.

“No, we don’t want crumbs. We want Liberty. Blood has not run in Cuban streets to be able to import a few suitcases,” tweeted by government critic Yoani Sanchez.

Local and International Supporters of the Protesting

Along with the lifting of trade restrictions, there has been an answer to Cuban protesters’ calls for help. Several musicians of Cuba, such as Adalberto Alveraz, the Elito Reve Orchestra and more, have voiced their support for what is happening in Cuba.

The U.S. government and President Biden have also lent their support to the protesters and Cuba. They have even stated that they would like to send assistance to Cuba when they are able.

“There are many things we are considering doing to help the people of Cuba, but that would require a different circumstance or a guarantee that they would not be taken advantage of by the government,” said President Biden.

President Biden and Homeland Security have since developed a hardline policy toward Cuba. This has resulted in the fourth round of sanctions against the Cuban government in the hopes of forcing Cuba’s top officials to change their ways and finally appease its citizens. Biden, who sympathizes with the Cuban people, has stated that he will continue to impose sanctions on Cuba until the conflict resolves.

“There will be more [sanctions] unless there’s some drastic change in Cuba, which I don’t anticipate,” said Biden in a meeting with the Cuban American leaders in the White House.

Although protesters have made demands and received support, protests in Cuba are still ongoing as citizens rally for a better government.

– Demetrous Nobles
Photo: Flickr

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Cuba

The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Cuba
The COVID-19 pandemic backpedaled Cuba’s progress in eradicating poverty and food insecurity, similar to many other countries. As the largest island within the Caribbean, tourism plays a large role in the economy. Although travel restrictions are no longer in place, the country’s reliance on food imports and poor infrastructure have worsened the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Cuba.

Cuba Before COVID-19

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Cuba is one of the most successful countries to achieve the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Government-implemented social programs provide maternal healthcare, monthly feeding baskets and free lunch for children in more than 10,000 schools. However, 70 to 80% of Cuba’s food requirements come from food imports, and this reliance lessens the national budget.

A consistently strained national budget, coupled with an economy in the midst of crisis, ultimately exacerbated the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Cuba. Well before COVID-19 hit the island, the Trump administration initiated sanctions banning U.S. travel and commerce with Cuban businesses. This strained the economy even further.

The Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy (ASCE) reports that poverty in Cuba is long-caused by the inaccessibility that Cubans have to basic needs. For example, the real-median state wages continuously fall and pensions do not align with food requirements. Also, the price of basic utilities continues to increase. The social assistance services are helpful, but they are not always accessible or upheld with the utmost quality.

Cuba’s Handling of COVID-19

Cuba’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most effective within the Caribbean. Free universal healthcare and large numbers of medical personnel are among the reasons that the island’s pandemic-related mortality rates are much lower than some of their neighboring countries. Cuba had approximately 151 cumulative deaths in January 2021, while Jamaica had approximately 312. At the same time, though, the government’s control of the media makes some skeptical as to whether or not the number of cases is accurate.

Cuba has the largest ratio of doctors to citizens in the world, with 84 doctors for every 10,000 citizens. Through the Continuous Assessment and Risk Evaluation (CARE) System, doctors can regularly track, assess and isolate outbreaks of the disease by visiting patients directly. Beginning in 1984, community-based medicine connects doctors and nurses to roughly 150 families. The CARE system furthers the impact of this model by ensuring that doctors carry out preemptive medical measures continuously.

The Persistence of Poverty

The issue of poverty in Cuba comes by way of poor infrastructure, food instability and a persisting housing crisis. As mentioned previously, food imports make up a large portion of the island’s food consumption. Reuters reports that before the pandemic, Cuba began seeing a decline in the number of food imports. This was due to Venezuela putting a cap on the aid it was providing. The Trump administration’s tightening of the United States trade embargo also impacted the number of food imports. In turn, the pandemic worsened the already existent food shortage.

In addition to the shortage of food, much of the basic infrastructure strains the country’s ability to quickly respond to conflict, leaving many unassisted during crisis. The island is also susceptible to tropical storms, which worsens the housing crisis. Many Cuban homes are unable to withstand extreme weather conditions. Many Cubans are also unable to afford damage repair. Cuba also suffers from a deficit of houses, with leads to the issue of overcrowding in shelters.

Only 1% of Cuban households have access to the internet. In turn, many people are unable to purchase their essential items online and must endure in-person contact. Even with social distancing and isolation mandates in order, those living in poverty are generally unable to abide by these standards due to the nature of their work or fiscal inability. The culmination of these factors worsens the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Cuba.

Positive Insights

The emergence of effective vaccines and the efficacy of the CARE system serves as an inspiration for other countries in the fight against the pandemic. The Cuban-developed Abdala vaccine is said to be 92.28% effective in the last stages of its clinical trials. The Soberena-2 vaccine, another Cuban-developed vaccine, has an effectiveness of 62% with two of its three doses. Cuba’s extensive medical research, along with its use of community-based healthcare, model how preventative healthcare can become readily accessible to communities in the midst of a crisis.

The impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Cuba remains an issue to be resolved, but the island is on the pathway to returning to life pre-pandemic. More than 1 million children returned to school in September 2020, and fully vaccinated tourists can now visit the island.

With the island’s newfound knowledge and insights on how to adequately handle the plights of a pandemic, hope exists that Cuba will soon continue the progress it once made in eradicating poverty and food insecurity.

– Cory Utsey
Photo: Flickr