This summer, Cuba saw some of its largest protests in decades, perhaps since the Cuban revolution itself. The protests broke out across the country at once — apparently spreading over social media. They were stoked by massive stresses — including food and electric shortages. And they were followed by a crackdown, dozens of arrests, and large pro-government protests the following weekend. Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel — has acknowledged that at least a sub-set of the protesters have legitimate grievances that it’s the government’s job to try to address. Most of the media attention in this country has been focused on what the Biden administration will do. We thought we should spend some time on what Cuba’s doing about Cuba.
Guest
Aviva Chomsky is professor of history and coordinator of Latin American studies at Salem State University in Massachusetts. Her books include a History of the Cuban Revolution, now in its second edition.