Nationwide Spread of Anti-Government Protests in Cuba... US Hints at Possible Intervention (Comprehensive)

Protests Spread to 12 Cities Nationwide Including Capital Havana
Demands for Political Change Beyond Simple Hardship... "Down with Dictatorship"
Massive Protests Three Months After Revolutionary Generation's Political Retirement... Political Instability

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Yujin Cho and Hyunwoo Lee] As the Cuban government responds to the large-scale anti-government protests?the first in 27 years?with indiscriminate crackdowns and arrests, concerns over bloodshed are growing. Unlike previous protests, this demonstration has spread nationwide with protesters demanding political reforms rather than merely expressing economic hardships. The unusual indication of possible intervention by the U.S. government has drawn international attention to the unfolding situation. While the main cause of the protests is known to be public dissatisfaction due to the COVID-19 crisis and economic difficulties, it is interpreted that underlying political instability linked to the recent retirement of the old revolutionary generation and power transition is also a factor.

According to foreign media including The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 12th (local time), protests have been taking place since the previous day in more than 12 major cities nationwide, including the capital Havana, Santiago, and Palma Soriano, with over 80 people arrested by the police. Thousands of angry citizens took to the streets, chanting slogans demanding regime change such as "Down with dictatorship," "President resign," and "End communism," while marching.

The Cuban protests are receiving even more international attention as the United States strongly hinted at intervention. On the same day, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement at the White House regarding the Cuban anti-government protests, saying, "The Cuban people are demanding freedom from a dictatorship, and frankly, this kind of protest is something we have not seen in a long time," emphasizing, "We support the Cuban people and urge the Cuban government to refrain from attempts to silence the voices of the people and from violence."

President Biden also unusually criticized the Cuban regime strongly. He stated, "The Cuban people are seeking freedom and relief from the oppression and economic suffering imposed by an authoritarian regime for decades," and added, "The U.S. government calls on the Cuban regime to stop enriching itself and to meet the needs of the people and listen to their voices at this critical moment."

The unprecedented public support and suggestion of possible U.S. involvement in the Cuban protests are presumed to be because this protest is judged to be significantly different in scale and nature compared to previous protests. Since the 1959 communist revolution, Cuba has maintained a single-party communist system for over 60 years, making it one of the most entrenched iron-fisted regimes in Latin America. The Washington Post (WP) reported, "Unlike previous protests mainly protesting economic hardships, this Cuban protest demands regime change," and noted, "The large-scale protests in 1994 did not spread beyond the capital Havana, whereas this protest is spreading nationwide."

Experts also analyze that the major driving force behind this protest is not decades-long economic hardship but political confusion linked to generational change within the Cuban regime. In August 2018, Cuba passed a constitutional amendment recognizing private property rights and a market economy system, lifted internet usage restrictions, and included gradual reforms such as limiting the election of national leaders over 60 years old.

Accordingly, Raul Castro, General Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party Central Committee, announced his retirement from politics in April, stepping down from his position, marking the official retirement of the revolutionary generation. The post-revolution generation, led by President Miguel D?az-Canel, born in 1960 shortly after the revolution, has taken power. The protests occurred less than three months after the revolutionary generation retired.

John Kavulich, Chairman of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, explained in an interview with The New York Times (NYT), "Although there are effects from COVID-19, Cuba's economy is at a much better level compared to the 1990s," adding, "The generational change in the regime following the 2018 constitutional amendment, recognition of private property, and allowance of internet use by the people have all played a complex role."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.