LIVE UPDATES: Cuba protests put country on edge, US appeals for calm
Thousands of Cubans took to the streets in Havana on Sunday to lash out at the worsening conditions in the country under the communist regime—the biggest protest in decades—prompting the country’s president to call on “revolutionary” citizens to counter the protesters.
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Miami Republican Mayor Francis Suarez called out the far-left's silence over the pro-democracy protests in Cuba, which has been ruled by decades of Communist dictatorship, and told Fox News the latest unrest exposes the "false promise" of socialism.
Suarez, whose father Xavier was the city's first Cuban-born mayor, told "Your World" guest host Sandra Smith on Monday that it is unbelievable that anyone would fail to condemn Communist ideology.
"[It] has failed not just in Cuba but in the history of humanity—this is an ideology that promises to create equality. The only equality it has delivered is equal misery for all of its citizens in every country that its been tried," he said. "It's time for the United States to understand that. It's time for us to understand this could affect American cities if we're not careful."
Virginia Attorney General nominee Jason Miyares on Monday slammed gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe for staying silent on protests in Cuba, recalling McAuliffe’s official trip to the Communist country.
“(McAuliffe) came back and bragged about his incredible relationship with the socialist dictatorship, about what a wonderful experience he had visiting the only non-democracy in North America,” Miyares tweeted.
“But not once during the trip did Governor McAuliffee stand up in the name of democracy. Not once did he speak out for the Cuban people who live their lives in fear of the oppressive regime, that are denied every day the most basic human rights in the name of socialism and communism.”
A group of Cuban Americans is embarking on a grueling 1,300-mile trek from Miami to Washington, D.C. in an effort in to influence U.S.-Cuban relations. The group, Puentes de Amor (Bridges of Love), is led by Carlos Lazo, a teacher and Iraq War veteran, who says the U.S. blockade is cruel and harms the Cuban people.
“We try to unite people, whatever their ideology, religion, race, or nationality,” Lazo told The Progressive magazine. “The important thing is to take down the walls that separate us and build bridges between our people.
The caravan is expected to arrive in Washington, D.C. later this month.
“Over the weekend, tens of thousands of Cubans took to the streets on the island to exercise their rights to assemble peacefully and express their views. The protesters called for freedom and human rights. They criticized Cuba’s authoritarian regime for failing to meet people’s most basic needs, including food and medicine.
In many instances, peaceful protesters were met with repression and violence. The Biden-Harris administration stands by the Cuban people and people around the world who demand their human rights and who expect governments to listen to and serve them rather than try to silence them. Peaceful protesters are not criminals, and we join partners across the hemisphere and around the world in urging the Cuban regime to respect the rights of the Cuban people to determine their own future, something they have been denied for far too long.”
Fox News’ Peter Doocy on Monday asked Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to comment on remarks he made during his presidential campaign, saying that it was unfair to say everything is bad in Cuba.Asked whether he still shared that sentiment amid protests in Cuba, Sanders said he supports “throughout Latin America and Cuba and every place else the right of people to protest for a decent economy and for political freedom.”
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is criticizing President Biden’s administration for its initial diagnosis on the causes of mass protests that broke out in Cuba on Sunday.
In a statement provided to Fox News, Rubio said more than 60 years of "socialist dictatorship and oppression, as well as extraordinary courage from the Cuban people, have led to this historic moment."
His message was at odds with the State Department, which initially tied the historic protests in Cuba to COVID-19 concerns rather than the country’s communist government.
Some reporters and Democratic candidates running for Congress blamed the United States’ embargo of Cuba as the reason for the recent protests against the communist regime there.
Thousands of Cubans have taken to the streets to lash out at the worsening economic and health conditions under the autocratic leftist government.
President Biden released a statement saying the United States stands with the Cuban people and called for the "Cuban regime to hear their people and serve their needs at this vital moment rather than enriching themselves."
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Monday sent President Joe Biden highlighting six steps that the administration must take to support the Cuban protesters “as they fight for their freedom.”
“[T]he Cuban dictatorship has rejected every effort that would allow the Cuban people to prosper, including your previous efforts as Vice President,” Rubio said.
While on the campaign trail, President Biden said he would restore Obama-era diplomatic ties with Cuba — despite the nation’s close ties with Venezuela's strongman Nicolás Maduro.
During an appearance on CBS Miami in April 2020, then-candidate Biden was asked if he would restore Obama’s policy of engagement with the communist country.
"Yes, I would. In large part, I would go back," Biden said. "I’d still insist they keep the commitments they said they would make when we, in fact, set the policy in place."
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., often uses his Twitter account to disparage policies in the United States and Republican politicians he doesn't like, but he has been silent about thousands of protesters gathering in the streets Sunday calling for the end of the communist regime in Cuba.
Sanders, who previously defended some of the policies of Cuba's previous communist dictator Fidel Castro, including his literacy program, is still silent on whether he supports Cubans speaking out against the communist regime.
However, he did call for higher taxes on billionaires Sunday in response to billionaires like Richard Branson, who successfully reached space on a test flight for Virgin Galactic, going to space, saying, "It's time to tax the billionaires."
Republicans are pointing to unrest in Cuba as evidence that socialist policies ultimately fail, despite a trend among far-left Democrats to embrace them.
Thousands of Cubans took to the streets in Havana over the weekend to lash out at the worsening conditions in the country under the communist regime, as Cuba faces its worst economic crisis in decades.
"Socialism leads to pain and suffering and Cuba is the perfect example," Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said in a statement. "Biden must pressure Cuba to provide assurances that they will not fire on their own people. This is a major test for Biden. He must exert leadership and American influence."
Fox News host Dan Bongino said Monday that he's not at all surprised by The New York Times' framing of the protests in Cuba, calling the paper's controversial tweet on the rallies against the country's communist dictatorship a window into the far-left's vision of the world.
"You won't see a tweet that better summarizes the massive divide between the ideological right and the ideological left in America today," Bongino responded on "Fox & Friends." "The government, Brian, doesn't give you freedoms. Does everybody understand that? Those freedoms are granted to you by God… The way the left sees it in their vision of the world is that that freedom is somehow granted to you by government."
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, the daughter of a Cuban immigrant, reacted Monday to the massive protests in Cuba calling for the end of socialism on ‘America’s Newsroom.'
"What people need to understand is that people in Cuba right now, they are starving, they don’t have food, and they have very difficult conditions," Malliotakis said.
Demonstrators against the Cuban government (L) are confronted by Proud Boys members, including leader Henry "Enrique" Tarrio (R), during a protest in Miami on July 11, 2021. The demonstrations started spontaneously in the morning, as the country endures its worst economic crisis in 30 years. The only authorized gatherings are normally Communist Party events. (Photo by Eva Marie UZCATEGUI / AFP) (Photo by EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI/AFP via Getty Images)
People demonstrate, some holding placards reading "Homeland and Life" and with the Cuban national flag, during a protest against the Cuban government in Miami on July 11, 2021. The demonstrations started spontaneously in the morning, as the country endures its worst economic crisis in 30 years. The only authorized gatherings are normally Communist Party events. (Photo by Eva Marie UZCATEGUI / AFP) (Photo by EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI/AFP via Getty Images)
AP photographer, Spanish Ramon Espinosa, is seen with injuries in his face while covering a demonstration against Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana, on July 11, 2021. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty Images)
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel blamed the U.S. for the protests, claiming that the American government not only limited Cuba's access to goods, but also has paid people to protest as well.
Diaz-Canal claimed that protesters are a "counterrevolutionary, mercenary" group paid by the U.S. government to "assemble these types of demonstrations."
"The moment that we have to focus on is how to attend to what is problematic, how to achieve financial capacity," Diaz-Canal said in a video clip posted to Twitter.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki retweeted a Sunday night message from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who said the U.S. would "would strongly condemn any violence or targeting of peaceful protesters who are exercising their universal rights."
"The U.S. supports freedom of expression and assembly across Cuba," Sullivan said.
Government supporters hold a photograph of Cuba's late President Fidel Castro during protests
Anti-government protests broke out Sunday in Cuba demanding freedom and calling on the disbandment of the country’s communist dictatorship, all while some of the U.S.’s most outspoken, self-professed Democratic socialists appear to be in lockstep by not acknowledging the historic events unfolding on the island about 90 miles from Florida.
Fox News has emailed Reps. Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Sen. Bernie Sanders and has yet to receive a response from any of them. As of early Monday, none have even mentioned the protest on social media.
A man is arrested during a demonstration against the government of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana
The U.S. State Department was criticized Sunday over a tweet that tied the historic protests that broke out in Cuba to COVID-19 concerns in the country where people have been living under communism for decades.
Julie Chung, the acting assistant secretary for the department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, posted, "Peaceful protests are growing in Cuba as the Cuban people exercise their right to peaceful assembly to express concern about rising COVID case/deaths & medicine shortage. We commend the numerous efforts of the Cuban people mobilizing donations to help neighbors."
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, called the tweet from the State Department "ridiculous."
"People in Cuba are protesting 62 years of socialism, lies, tyranny & misery not "expressing concern about rising COVID cases/deaths," he tweeted. "Why is it so hard for @potus & the people in his administration to say that?"
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel is seen during a demonstration held by citizens to demand improvements in the country
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel addressed the country and blamed the U.S. for stoking anger, according to reports.
"We are calling on all the revolutionaries in the country, all the Communists, to hit the streets wherever there is an effort to produce these provocations," Diaz-Canel said, according to Reuters.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, took to Twitter to say the "U.S. supports freedom of expression and assembly across Cuba, and would strongly condemn any violence or targeting of peaceful protesters who are exercising their universal rights."
Sen. Bernie Sanders has previously defended some of the policies of Cuba's previous communist dictator Fidel Castro
As thousands of protesters took to the streets of Cuba Sunday evening calling for an end to the country's communist regime, U.S. lawmakers are speaking out on social media in solidarity with the demonstrations.
However, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has previously defended some of the policies of Cuba's previous communist dictator Fidel Castro, has not yet issued a statement.
A spokesperson for Sanders did not immediately return Fox News' request for comment.
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