Cubans protest U.S. trade embargo, reaffirm support for revolution
Raul Castro was among thousands who attended a rally in Havana on Saturday to denounce the U.S. trade embargo and reaffirm their support for Cuba’s revolution, a week after unprecedented protests. Government supporters gathered on the city’s seafront boulevard before dawn to wave Cuban flags and photos of late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and his brother Raul. The latter retired as Communist Party leader in April but promised to continue fighting for the revolution as a “foot soldier”, according to Reuters.
The rally was a reaction to demonstrations last Sunday amid shortages of basic goods, and the island nation’s worst coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic.
The government admitted some shortcomings this week but mostly blamed the protests on U.s.-financed “counter-revolutionaries” exploiting economic hardship caused by U.S. sanctions.
President Miguel Diaz-canel, who also heads the Communist Party, told the crowd that Cuba’s “enemy has once again thrown itself into destroying citizen’s sacred unity and tranquility”.
He said it was no small matter to call a rally as the country saw increasing numbers of COVID cases: “We convened to denounce once more the blockade, the aggression and terror.” Authorities said similar rallies were held nationwide. “This revolution will continue for a long time,” said Margaritza Arteaga, a state social worker who attended the rally in Havana.
State television has broadcast images of people looting Cuba’s dollar stores and overturning empty police cars.
The government said it has arrested those it suspects of instigating unpatriotic unrest or of carrying out vandalism.