Cuba: Dissidents Ask U.S. to Intercede After Mass Protests as Pres. Joe Biden Sounds Support on Demonstrators
A group of Cuban dissidents in Miami, Florida asked the Biden administration to support the nationwide strike in Cuba after mass protests erupted in their country. The group called "Members of the Assembly for Cuban Resistance" was joined by local conservatives in Miami in their plea, arguing that Cuban demonstrators are seeking freedom, The Miami Herald reported.
The group addressed their concerns at a press conference that happened on Monday. They said that they wanted the United States to intervene in their country militarily, as Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel announced that the "combat order" was issued.
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"We are asking for the international community, led by the United States, to intervene, to protect the Cuban people from blood bath and to bring this regime to an end," said Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, an exile from Cuba and prominent human rights advocate in Miami. Gutierrez-Boronat also noted that the Cubans are not on the street to ask for medicine or food; instead, they demand freedom.
Apart from seeking the help of the Biden administration, the group also called for supporters in Miami to join a protest in line with Cubans on Tuesday at 5 in the afternoon. The said protest will be held at the Cuban memorial Tamiami Park.
Apart from the group of Cuban dissidents, Nicaraguan American Republican Alliance president, Muñeca Fuentes, and Conservative Colombian activist, Fabio Andrade, were also present in the press conference.
President Joe Biden Says the U.S. Supports the Protesters From Cuba
Hours before the press conference where the group of Cuban dissidents sought support in the international community, President Joe Biden voiced out support for the Cuban protesters, according to a report from NBC News.
"We stand with Cuban people and their clarion of call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and the decades of repression and economic suffering," President Biden said in a statement. The U.S. President also called on the Cuban regime, urging them to "hear their people" instead of "enriching themselves."
President Biden's comment came as President Díaz-Canel blamed the U.S embargo against Cuba, for the protests that occurred in the country. The Cuban president noted that the embargo contributed to power outages and limited access to food medical supplies during the pandemic.
However, White House press secretary Jen Psaki denied the allegations of the Cuban president, arguing that the U.S. sanctions in the country had several exceptions that allowed medical supply and other humanitarian assistance to be sent in Cuba.
Cuba Protests
It can be remembered that thousands of protesters from Cuba crowded the streets as they called to end the dictatorship leading their country. The demonstrators were reported to march through San Antonio de Los Baños, with other areas such as Palma Soriano taking part in the protests.
It was known that Cuba faced its worst pandemic crisis in decades as the tourism in the country, which drives the nation's economy, was affected. The country was also known to be under an economic embargo, imposed by the U.S. in 1960.
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Written by: Joshua Summers
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