Skip to main content

Unrest Growing in Cuba Over Food Shortages, Astronomical Prices


Cuba
Cuban demonstrators clash with authorities on Sunday as tensions rise over economic and pandemic-related issues in the troubled island nation. Credit: Facebook/Voice of America

Unrest is growing on the island nation of Cuba after  more than a year of pandemic-related shortages, exacerbated by a lack of tourism revenue from overseas, has led to shortages of food and spiked consumer prices on what is left to purchase.

In an extremely rare scene on Sunday, thousands of Cubans marched along Havana’s famed seaside Malecon promenade and elsewhere to protest food shortages and high prices in one of the largest anti-government demonstrations since Cuba was taken over by the communist revolutionary Fidel Castro in 1959.

Groups of young people marched in Sunday’s protest in the capital city of Havana, disrupting traffic for several hours until police moved in.

The march was broken up after several protesters threw rocks, according to an Associated Press report.

The protesters, chanting the slogans “Freedom,” “Enough” and “Unite,” were allowed to demonstrate for some time while police monitored their actions from behind. At one point, a motorcyclist even pulled out a US flag, but it was taken from him by others right away.

Demonstrations in Cuba protest food shortages, astronomical prices

One middle-aged protester told the Associated Press “We are fed up with the queues, the shortages. That’s why I’m here.” The man refused to identify himself, he said, for fear of arrest.

Cuba is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades, coupled with a new spike in coronavirus cases, as it suffers the consequences of stronger US sanctions imposed during the Trump administration along with the crippling effects of a downturn in tourism due to the pandemic.

The New York Times quoted Cuban activist Carolina Barrero as saying “It is the most massive popular demonstration to protest the government that we have experienced in Cuba since ’59.”

“What has happened is enormous”

According to Barrero, the rarely-seen demonstrations all over the country in the last week, culminating in the outpouring of public resentment on Sunday, were “spontaneous, frontal and forceful.”

“What has happened is enormous,” she opined..

These most recent protests in the Caribbean nation were set off by a desperate economic crisis fueled by several factors which have combined to seemingly take Cuba to a tipping point.

The tourism dollars normally spent by Europeans and others on the island are no longer flowing in, due to the pandemic. The stricter economic sanctions imposed during the previous American administration have also caused reverberations, adding to the misery as many are also out of work because so many restaurants and hotels are still shuttered due to the pandemic.

Now, Cubans must spend hours each and every day in line just to buy the basics for human sustenance.

These nearly intolerable conditions have occasioned an increase in migration by both land and sea, according to figures from the United States Coast Guard.

Just since last October, Coast Guard officers have intercepted more than 512 Cubans on the open seas; this is more than ten times the number of Cubans who tried to leave the island nation during 2020.

Just on Saturday, the Coast Guard was forced to suspend a search for nine Cuban migrants whose vessel was reported to have overturned off Key West, Florida, located at the shortest distance between the two countries.

According to the Cuban government, its seemingly eternal economic problems are due to the draconian effects of the American trade embargo, which disallows major access to financing as well as desperately-needed imported goods.

Now, of course, the economic effects of these sanctions have been exacerbated by the multifarious ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, which have battered even the hardiest of the world’s economies over the past sixteen months.

The nation is experiencing a spike in coronavirus infections to the point that in Matanzas, east of Havana, coronavirus patients and their families are now posting YouTube videos showing extremely irate Cubans people who are literally screaming out their frustration concerning the lack of medicine and physicians.

According to the Times, the website for the Cuban Ministry of Health admits that there have been approximately 32,000 coronavirus cases in the country of 11 million. The Ministry said that there were an astonishing 6,923 new daily cases and 47 deaths just yesterday — establishing a new record for infections after setting the prior record on Friday.

Cuban health officials state that at this point, only approximately 15 percent of the country’s population is fully vaccinated against the virus.

The newest unrest in the Communist country, which has historically clamped down hard on any demonstrations whatsoever, gained momentum after many well-known figures in the artistic world in Cuba began to Tweet out their frustrations over the status quo using the hashtag #SOSCuba.

Mia Khalifa, who is a former adult film actress and who has almost four million followers, joined in the extremely unusual dissent by tweeting insults directed at Miguel Diaz-Canel, the president of the country. In yet another unheard-of development, his office even responded to criticism by the Puerto Rican singer Residente.

The post, however, was removed subsequently. The President rose to power three years ago, in a stunning development that marked the first time anyone other than a member of the Castro family had been allowed to assume the post.

Fidel Castro’s brother Raúl, who had already voluntarily handed over the reins, even stepped down as the leader of the isolated island nation’s Communist Party in 2021.

After Díaz-Canel assumed power, an increase in access to the internet appeared to fuel a wave of public discontent against him, which was spearheaded by artists in particular.

Bruno Rodríguez, the foreign minister of Cuba, Tweeted that Díaz-Canel had made a personal appearance in San Antonio de los Baños, where he continued to insist that “salaried” protesters were acting as provocateurs, trying to cause a reaction on the part of the authorities.

Demonstrations had been held in that city as well, where people were protesting the power outages that occur routinely there. The President entered several homes, where he even took questions from residents.

Cuban President blames Cuban-Americans for stirring up trouble

After he took part in these conversations, however, he accused Cuban-Americans of stirring up trouble.

“As if pandemic outbreaks had not existed all over the world, the Cuban-American mafia, paying very well on social networks to influencers and Youtubers, has created a whole campaign … and has called for demonstrations across the country,” Diaz-Canel complained to reporters.

A Cuban government Twitter account quoted the president as saying “Celebrating what they orchestrated today in San Antonio de los Baños only uncovers the worst nature of people.”

For his part, an official in the Biden administration tweeted his own support for the latest Cuban demonstrations which broke out on Sunday.

Julie Chung, the US’ acting assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, Tweeted “Peaceful protests are growing in #Cuba as the Cuban people exercise their right to peaceful assembly to express concern about rising COVID cases/deaths & medicine shortages. We commend the numerous efforts of the Cuban people mobilizing donations to help neighbors in need.”

Carlos F. de Cossio, the Cuban director general tasked with overseeing US affairs, dismissed Chung’s remarks when he Tweeted “US State Department and its officials, involved to their necks in promoting social and political instability in #Cuba, should avoid expressing hypocritical concern for a situation they have been betting on. Cuba is and will continue to be a peaceful country, contrary to the US.”

Sunday’s demonstrations in Havana included thousands of people in and around Galeano Avenue. Marchers continued their protest despite several charges by police officers and the throwing of tear gas at them by the authorities.

In addition, people who were seen watching the events unfold from many balconies along the central avenue in the Centro Habana neighborhood applauded the protesters who passed by. Other individuals joined in the march along with the initial protestors.

As a great number of people were seen trying to take cellphone videos of the proceedings in order to broadcast live or to simply document the unrest, Cuban authorities subsequently shut down internet service on Sunday afternoon.

Some protesters were seen pulling up cobblestones from the street and and throwing them at the police after approximately 2 1/2 hours of the demonstration and march. It was only then that officers began to take people into custody, causing the others to disperse.

Journalists from the Associated Press who were on the scene counted at least 20 protestors who were taken away in police cars or by unknown individuals who were wearing civilian clothes.

The Rev. Jorge Luis Gil, Catholic priest, protested to reporters while standing at a street corner in Centro Habana, saying “The people came out to express themselves freely, and they are repressing and beating them.”

At that point, a counter demonstration sprung up, when approximately 300 individuals who had government ties suddenly arrived on the scene carrying a large Cuban flag. They then  shouted slogans showing their support for the late President Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution.

Some people from that group subsequently physically assaulted an AP videojournalist, completely disabling his camera, while another AP photojournalist was injured by the police in the melee.

Comments

Popular Posts

Inside the Magnificent Minoan Palace of Knossos in Crete

The Minoan palace at Knossos. Credit: Gary Bembridge /Wikimedia Commons/ CC-BY-2.0 The Palace of Knossos, located about five kilometers (three miles) south of Heraklion on Kephala hill, was the largest of all the Minoan palaces in Crete. It was also at the core of the highly sophisticated civilization that flourished on the island over 3,500 years ago. The discovery of the Minoan Palace of Knossos The discovery and subsequent excavation of the palace dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. Before then, Knossos had only served as a place mentioned in Greek mythology. The first modern scholar to take a serious interest in the area was the German Heinrich Schliemann, who in 1870 had excavated the site believed to be Troy. Schliemann was certain that a major Minoan palace lay hidden near Heraklion, but the Ottoman authorities who still ruled the island at the time denied any permission to dig there. Years afterward, the British archaeologist Arthur Evans, inspired b

Water Shortages On Islands Plaguing Greece This Summer

  Tap water is a precious commodity on the Greek islands and one that is in short supply. Credit: Ishwah Murth Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Island water shortages and stoppages are plaguing Greece this summer. Promoted for its beautiful seawater surrounding all the Greek isles and its entire coastline, many islands are suffering from a lack of quantity — and quality of tap water. Turning on the tap and finding an abundant flow of water has become a basic expectation in civilized society of the 21st century, particularly when you are on a vacation that is meant to offer a bit of away-from-home luxury. However, on some Greek islands, access to whiskey is easier to come by than water. Greek island water shortages and water stoppages are common nowadays. Carol Berkley, from London, who is vacationing at an AirBnB property in the area of Marathi on Mykonos told Greek Reporter, “We had just come back from the beach. There are four of us here on the property. “Natural

Εκσυγχρονισμός του στόλου: Στο τραπέζι δύο προτάσεις για αγορά φρεγατών

Ο πρωθυπουργός Κυριάκος Μητσοτάκης ανακοίνωσε την Τετάρτη ότι είναι ανάγκη να ξεκινήσει άμεσα το εξοπλιστικό πρόγραμμα των ενόπλων δυνάμεων.  Η κρίση με την Τουρκία έδειξε ότι στο επίκεντρο είναι η ενίσχυση του Πολεμικού μας Ναυτικού. Η οικονομική κρίση των τελευταίων ετών σε συνδυασμό με το μεγάλο κόστος απόκτησης νέων μονάδων είχε ως αποτέλεσμα να μείνει πίσω ο εκσυγχρονισμός του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού. Σύμφωνα με το ρεπορτάζ του Open, η απόφαση του Γενικού Επιτελείου είναι γνωστή εδώ και καιρό: Πρέπει να αγοραστούν νέες φρεγάτες.  Το Πολεμικό Ναυτικό έδωσε τις προδιαγραφές και αμέσως ξεχώρισαν δύο προτάσεις, οι γαλλικές φρεγάτες Belhara και το αμερικανικό πλοίο πολλαπλών ρόλων MMSC. Κύριος στόχος ένα πλοίο που θα μπορεί να επιχειρεί στο Αιγαίο αλλά και την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο.

Greek, Armenian Genocide Recognized by the Netherlands

Greek civilians from Pontus flee their homes during the genocide. Public domain Greek, Armenian and Syriac genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th century were recognized by the Netherlands earlier in the week. The move follows the overwhelming adoption by the Dutch parliament of a resolution noting that the government “still does not recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915 [perpetrated] by the Ottoman Empire (in which also the Arameans, Assyrians, and the Pontic Greeks were victims).” The resolution stated that “there is more urgency than ever for countries to clearly speak out about the past in order to advance reconciliation and prevent repetition in the future.” The genocide of 1915 was committed by the Ottoman Turks and Kurds against the Syriac people and occurred parallel to the genocides of Armenians and Greeks, which was not only reduced to the region of Pontus, but all Greeks in the Ottoman Empire. The resolution said that 1.5 milli

The World’s Oldest Living Olive Tree is on Crete

The most ancient olive tree in the world, in Crete. Credit: Dimitra Damian/Greek Reporter The oldest olive tree in the world is located in the village of Ano Vouves of Kissamos in Chania, Crete. The ancient tree is 3000 years old, as determined by the international scientific community. The ancient olive tree in Vouves has a trunk with a circumference of 12.5 meters (41 feet), and a diameter of 4.6 meters (15 feet). It belongs to the local tree variety of tsounati, and was grafted at a height of 3 meters onto a wild olive tree. Because of the grafting, its trunk has been so beautifully shaped by nature that it resembles a sculpture. In 1990, after a unanimous decision in the prefecture of Chania, the Vouves Olive Tree was declared a Natural Monument of great importance due to its status as the world’s oldest tree of its kind. The oldest olive tree still produces high-quality olives The fruits of the ancient olive tree make the best olive oil in the world, making the area the

Έκανε το εμβόλιο της Johnson και δεν μπορεί να περπατήσει

Την περιπέτειά του μετά από τον εμβολιασμό του με το σκεύασμα της Johnson & Johnson περιγράφει μέσω του Instagram o Γιώργος Βαγιαννίδης. Όπως αναφέρει στην ανάρτησή του, έκανε το εμβόλιο την 1η Σεπτεμβρίου και σήμερα νοσηλεύεται σε νοσοκομείο αφού δεν μπορεί να σταθεί όρθιος, ούτε να περπατήσει. Μάλιστα δημοσιεύει και φωτογραφίες από το νοσοκομείο. Δείτε αναλυτικά όλα όσα αναφέρει στην ανάρτησή του: Καλησπέρα σας, ονομάζομαι Γεώργιος Βαγιαννίδης. Επειδή τον τελευταίο καιρό έχουν ακουστεί πολλά, οφείλω να ξεκαθαρίσω τη θέση μου, για να μην υπάρχουν περαιτέρω αερολογίες σχετικά με την κατάσταση της υγείας μου. Τετάρτη, 1 Σεπτεμβρίου, έκλεισα το ραντεβού για τον εμβολιασμό μου (Johnson’s and Johnson’s). Να τονίσω πως ήταν καθαρά δική μου επιλογή και ΚΑΝΕΝΑΣ δε μου προέτρεψε να το κάνω. Πήγα λοιπόν στο ΓΝ Κατερίνης και το έκανα. Όλα αυτά γύρω στις 16.00. Πολύ τυπικά τα πράγματα. Το μόνο που μου είπαν είναι «Περίμενε ένα 15’

Μουσακάς με κολοκύθια και πουρέ πατάτας

Εκτέλεση Τσιγαρίζετε στο ελαιόλαδο το ψιλοκομμένο κρεμμύδι, προσθέτετε τον κιμά, αλάτι, πιπέρι,  την τομάτα, ένα φλιτζάνι τσαγιού νερό και σιγοβράζετε μέχρι να ψηθεί ο κιμάς. Κόβετε τα κολοκύθια σε ψιλές φέτες, τα αλευρώνετε και τα τηγανίζετε. Ετοιμάζετε τον πουρέ, σύμφωνα με τις οδηγίες του κουτιού, χρησιμοποιώντας όμως μόνο γάλα. Στη συνέχεια προσθέτετε το βούτυρο, την κρέμα γάλακτος και ανακατεύετε καλά. Απλώνετε τα ψημένα κολοκυθάκια σε βουτυρωμένο πυρέξ 24 x 32 εκατοστά και από πάνω  στρώνετε τον κιμά, σκεπάζετε με τον πουρέ πατάτας, πασπαλίζετε με το τριμμένο τυρί και ψήνετε σε μέτριο προθερμασμένο φούρνο για 30 λεπτά περίπου.

Speaking English Using Greek: Zolotas’ Historic Speech to World Bankers

Zolotas was director of the Bank of Greece when he famously spoke at a conference in English using Greek words. Public domain Many Greeks recall the speeches in English — peppered with Greek-origin words and phrases — given by economist and politician Xenophon Zolotas in the late 1950s. Zolotas was director of the Bank of Greece when he appeared in front of an audience at an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development conference in 1959. He delivered two speeches in English using Greek words to emphasize the wealth of the Greek language and the fact that countless Greek words enrich English. Greek remains a language which greatly enriches international scientific discourse; more than any other, it is the language which developed, shaped and expressed the beginning of most scientific theories, philosophical thoughts, and literature in most of the modern-day languages of the Western world. Zolotas’ speech delivered on Oct. 2, 1959 Kyrie, It is Zeus’ anathema on our epoch

Κορονοϊός Ινδία: Για πρώτη φορά πάνω από 50.000 κρούσματα σε ένα 24ωρο

Η Ινδία ανακοίνωσε σήμερα, Πέμπτη 30 Ιουλίου, πάνω από 50.000 νέα ημερήσια κρούσματα για πρώτη φορά, λόγω της αύξησης των μολύνσεων στις μη αστικές περιοχές σε μια περίοδο κατά την οποία η κυβέρνηση χαλαρώνει περαιτέρω τους περιορισμούς στις μετακινήσεις και το εμπόριο. Το τελευταίο 24ωρο καταγράφηκαν 52.123 νέα κρούσματα, σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία των ομοσπονδιακών αρχών υγείας, με τον συνολικό αριθμό των κρουσμάτων να φθάνει σχεδόν το 1,6 εκατομμύριο. Το ίδιο διάστημα, 775 άνθρωποι έχασαν τη ζωή τους λόγω του κορονοϊού, με τον συνολικό αριθμό των θανάτων να πλησιάζει τους 35.000 –που αν και είναι χαμηλός συγκριτικά με τον συνολικό αριθμό των κρουσμάτων, δεν εμφανίζει ιδιαίτερες τάσεις επιβράδυνσης. Ενώ οι μεγάλες πόλεις, όπως το Νέο Δελχί και το Μουμπάι, καταγράφουν επιβράδυνση στον αριθμό των κρουσμάτων, τα περιστατικά στις αγροτικές περιοχές συνεχίζουν να αυξάνονται με αλματώδεις ρυθμούς, προκαλώντας ιδιαίτερη ανησυχία στους ειδικούς που φοβο

Απίστευτο σκηνικό με Άδωνι: «Ευχαριστώ το Mega που δείχνει ποια μαγαζιά θα κλείσουμε αύριο»

Στην εκπομπή LIVE NEWS του MEGA παρενέβη ο υπουργός Ανάπτυξης και Επενδύσεων, Άδωνις Γεωργιάδης, αναφορικά με τις παραβάσεις που παρατηρούνται στους κανόνες του click away, όπου οι πολίτες διαλέγουν από το πεζοδρόμιο τα προϊόντα, και παραλαμβάνουν επιτόπου. Το Mega εδειχνε εικόνες από τα μαγαζιά στο Χαλάνδρι και ο κ. Γεωργιάδης με παρέμβασή του, είπε: «Με ενημέρωσαν για το βιντεο της εκπομπής. Μου είπαν ότι κάποια καταστήματα παραβιάζουν τους κανόνες και αυτό φαίνεται στην κάμερα. Το ίδιο έγινε σήμερα με τα καταστήματα που δείξατε χθες στην Ερμού. Όσα περισσότερα καταστήματα δείχνετε και συμπληρώνετε την ελεγκτική δράση του κράτους, θα κλείνουν την επόμενη μέρα. Θα κλείνετε μόνος σας κάθε μέρα και ένα κατάστημα και το πρόστιμο θα το χρεώνω στον κ. Ευαγγελάτο και μπράβο που το κάνετε!».

Airline Training Center

Car 'n Motion

Αthletix.gr

Φόρμα επικοινωνίας

Name

Email *

Message *