Crackdown in Cuba Continues: 5 Generals Die in 10 Days

In the past month, awareness on the harsh effects of socialism and communism along with the value of personal freedom have been further revealed to the world by the protests and crackdowns that have occurred in Cuba. As the internet and communications have been shut down in the nation, it has been difficult to come across new updates on what is happening on the ground, but information continues to leak into the public sphere by both reports from Cuba and reports of public reaction from around the globe. 

The most recent revelation has been that 5 top high ranking generals in Cuba have died within a 10 day span of each other. The cause of these deaths have not yet been publicly determined, with some suspecting that it potentially has to do with the Coronavirus pandemic. While this is a sensible construction, the truth is still unknown at this time.  

Earlier this month, protests broke out by the people in the nation against government control within Cuba for freedom and economic prosperity. Earlier this week, a mass demonstration was led in the United States as protestors marched on the Cuban Embassy in Washington DC. Raising Cuban and American flags during the protest, the people called out for the freedom of Cuba and demanded that assistance be provided by the Biden administration.

Reports shared what many of the people at the protests for Cuba wanted from the action. According to Fox News, one protestor said, “He needs to get all his advisers… get them out of there and come here and talk to these people. We really know what’s going on. The advisers he’s got? They’re supporting communists.” Another protester said, “It’s painful for me because I have family back there… they’re hiding right now because they don’t want to be taken.” Another pleaded that Biden “at least talk about what is happening. At least say the truth. Give a press conference and talk about it.” At several points in the protest, the group began chanting, “Where is Biden? Where is Biden?”

Recently, back down in Florida, Governor Ron Desantis took it a step further in the right direction by penning a letter to Biden requesting that we use our technological capability here in the United States to provide internet access to the people of Cuba. This request has not been answered and communication has still not been restored for the people of Cuba.  

Many accuse the Biden administration and associated members of supporting socialism and communistic ideals within the Cuban government instead of the freedom of the people. The New York Times has recently shown echoes of this horrific support, going as far as to claim that the protesters’ call for freedom were merely “anti government slogans”. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Bernie Sanders, both long accepted socialist supporters, have blamed the protests in Cuba not on the government of Cuba, but rather on our own government in the United States by imposing economic embargoes. Biden has mostly remained silent and has rather focused efforts on Coronavirus restrictions, mask mandates, Donald Trump and the January 6th media circus play. 

Republicans have been vocal about their support for the Cuban people. This week, members of the GOP gathered to request a meeting with Biden to discuss how to further help the people of Cuba against the government crackdown. 19 Republican lawmakers, including Marco Rubio and Kevin McCarthy, wrote a request to Biden on how the administration and Congress can “work together to bring an end to the oppressive communist regime in Havana and liberate the Cuban people.”

The Republican request continued to say that, “The United States is a bastion of freedom and democracy; a beacon across the globe for those seeking to cast off the shackles of communist oppression… We must support our Cuban brothers and sisters as they seek to take control of their future and liberate themselves from the communist malignancy.”

So far, Biden has continued to refuse help to the protests in Cuba by providing communication assistance, but has done at least something which the administration believes is useful. A White House statement last week read, “My administration is imposing new sanctions targeting elements of the Cuban regime responsible for this crackdown – the head of the Cuban military and the division of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior driving the crackdown – to hold them accountable for their actions.”

While this in itself is good to see, everyone knows that more should and can be done to support the people move forward towards their own freedom. Providing internet access is an essential key, but also publicly speaking out about the issue and bringing it into the light would also be more helpful. 

The United States has also signed onto a statement condemning Cuba for arresting people at protests, along with 20 other countries that agree, including Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Guatemala, Greece, Honduras, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Korea and Ukraine. Within the stated agreement, it reads, “The Cuban government has responded not by recognizing the voices of its own people, but by further stifling those voices through arbitrary detentions and secret summary trials lacking due process guarantees… This joint statement demonstrates that the Cuban people are not alone in their aspirations.”

Now that so much official agreement is said to exist on the matter, let us hope that we take action and restore their internet access so the voice of the Cuban people can be heard around the world with clarity.