The Covid-19 pandemic combined with economic crisis and deteriorating living conditions has resulted in widespread protests in Cuba against the regime and the lack of basic goods and services, specifically access to healthcare. The protests have led to arrests, large scale communication blackouts throughout and outside the island, and increased sanctions from the United States, CSIS writes.
Afro-Cubans such as “Antunez” (below), a recipient of the National Endowment for Democracy’s prestigious democracy award, have played a prominent role in the protests.
Credit: YouTube screen grab
The CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development today hosted a virtual public event (above) to discuss the prospects for the democratic movement in Cuba, with contributions from: Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ), Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere; Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Ranking Member, House Foreign Affairs International Development, International Organizations and Global Corporate Social Impact Subcommittee; Armando Chaguaceda, Country Expert, Varieties of Democracy Project, University of Gothenburg; Deborah Ullmer, Regional Director for Latin America and Caribbean Programs, National Democratic Institute; Amalia Dache, Associate Professor, Higher Education Division, University of Pennsylvania; Daniel F. Runde, Senior Vice President; William A. Schreyer Chair and Director, Project on Prosperity and Development; Juan Cruz, Senior Adviser (Non-resident), Americas Program and Director, Argentina-U.S. Strategic Forum.
