‘MOST MASSIVE’

Food and Medicine Shortages in Cuba Cause Largest Protests in Decades

President Díaz-Canel has blamed the U.S. for the crisis in Cuba after travel to the country had been banned due to the pandemic.

Amid food and medicine shortages, people throughout Cuba marched through the streets, a stunning display in a country famous for harsh crackdowns on dissent. The demonstrations were held on a grand scale, with hundreds decrying the government. “It is the most massive popular demonstration to protest the government that we have experienced in Cuba since ’59,” activist Carolina Barrero told The New York Times. After COVID-19 put a halt on tourism, Cuba has faced an economic crisis, with thousands out of work and many businesses remaining locked down. Cubans have also complained of a lack of proper medical care and doctors. Only 15 percent of the country’s population of 11 million has been fully vaccinated, and over 32,000 active cases of COVID-19 remain. Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, and its president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, have blamed the U.S. for restricting travel to the country and access to funds, thereby causing the shortages.