¿Qué está pasando en Cuba? What´s happening in Cuba?
July 11th marked the beginning of protests demonstrating that the Cuban people want change. Cuba is presently facing both an economic and humanitarian crisis, including hyperinflation and widespread food, electricity, and medical shortages, which have been compounded by a spike in COVID-19 cases.
The first protests began in a small town southwest of Havana, San Antonio de los Baños, where residents took to the streets and started live-streaming their dissent. Now that the internet is more ‘widespread’ across the country, Cubans were able to quickly tune in on their phones, allowing them to join and spread the cause while taking to the streets all over the island (even as far spread as la Isla de la Juventud). Thousands of protestors lined the streets, shouting: “Libertad,” “No tenemos miedo,” and “Patria y Vida.” All of these chants signal that the Cuban people want change — a different kind of homeland that is no longer wedded to revolutionary slogans and unfulfilled promises.
How Cuba ended up in such acute economic and health crises is a question that cannot be given a simple answer. The forces leading up to July 11th include many compounding variables; the situation (historical and present) is extremely nuanced, with varying emotions and opinions. A few factors, among others and in no special order or priority, include a myriad of events. So, let’s take a closer look:
The whiplash of U.S. policy changes on Cuba from the Obama era through the Trump administration had several ramifications. The policies implemented by the Obama administration didn’t simply allow for more U.S. tourism on the island, as many may believe, and it certainly didn’t end the U.S. blockade either. The U.S. policies towards Cuba, implemented by Obama, were numerous and included (but are not limited to) opening up investment opportunities, medical collaborations, and even postal services. These policies brought money to the island, boosting the economy. However, the incoming Trump administration soon rolled back most of these policies which in turn stifled the cash flow the island had become accustomed to and benefited from. Without the economic influx from the U.S. (not from the government but from the travelers, organizations, and entities), paired with the significant decline in support from Venezuela that Cuba had relied on for years, the Cuban government didn’t have the funds to invest in infrastructure, medical facilities, agriculture, and the basic needs of the population.
It is important to note that Cuba doesn’t only rely on U.S. tourism — many people from other countries (e.g. Canada, England, and Italy, to name a few) visit the island annually. With tourism being one of the main engines of the Cuban economy, the country has been practically paralyzed by the ongoing global pandemic. This has been compounded by other economic developments including:
Beginning January 1st, the government proposed many new economic reform policies, including the unification of the dual currency system and the increase of wages, which in turn has led to inflation.
Over the last year, the government also opened shops (e.g. MLC) where Cubans could buy food and basic needs, however, only with foreign currencies. These stores have become very unpopular for various reasons, especially because the majority of Cubans are paid in Cuban pesos and there is a great shortage of foreign currency on the island.
When you add the severe economic crisis the island has been facing to the government’s inability to provide basic necessities to its citizens such as food, medicine, and infrastructure, along with the excruciatingly long and frequent electricity outages, the societal exhaustion was then further exacerbated by the recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the island. One example being Matanzas where locals voiced their concerns and outrage on social media using the hashtag #SOSMatanzas that was later converted into the #SOSCuba movement.
As previously mentioned, these are only a few of the many confounding factors that triggered such a heroic public expression. We strongly encourage our followers and community not to dwell on the intricacies of these factors but instead, to focus on the present and to keep the information fed to us in check. We urge our followers to listen to Cubans who are on the ground in Cuba. Here is a shortlist of in-country resources that we look to:
El Toque || IG: @eltoquecom
Periodismo de Barrio || IG: @periodismodebarrio
Tremenda Nota || IG: @tremendanota_cu
Revista Alma Mater || IG: @revista_almamater
While the near future on the island is uncertain, we hope that you will stay connected, well-informed, and listen to what the Cuban people have to share.
We, at EEAbroad, are against violence and the censorship of people who are peacefully protesting. We support an organic, domestic change by the Cuban people, not simply international intervention. And as an U.S. organization, EEAbroad urges the Biden Administration to swiftly, yet intentionally, revisit the U.S. - Cuba policy to propose and implement policies of engagement that benefit the Cuban people.
While we stand by this call, we do our best to stay unbiased and listen to those who know best — the Cuban people. Our focus has always been to facilitate immersive, cross-cultural experiences that allow U.S. students, travelers, and visitors to engage in unscripted dialogue with Cubans of all ages, from across the island, with varying academic disciplines, and all kinds of passions, beliefs, and motivations. For this reason, we urge our followers to listen to Cubans on the ground so that they can be educated firsthand to form their own opinions and beliefs. The information in this blog is what we understand to have sparked the protests starting on July 11th from listening to those who know best — the locals who are present to witness what’s going on.
What July 11th demonstrated is that Cubans want (and deserve) peace and freedom, and presently need humanitarian assistance (not intervention). We are actively working on rolling out a humanitarian aid initiative, so please stay tuned to see how you can support the Cuban people. And remember, listen to what engaged Cubans are saying — our shortlist again includes:
El Toque || IG: @eltoquecom
Periodismo de Barrio || IG: @periodismodebarrio
Tremenda Nota || IG: @tremendanota_cu
Revista Alma Mater || IG: @revista_almamater
