The authoritarian and communist regime of Cuba is a “failed state” and universally, communism is a “failed system,” President Joe Biden said while speaking from the White House on Thursday.
Biden’s remarks were the strongest signal yet by the president in support of Cubans demonstrating against the ruling regime of leader Miguel Diaz-Canel—also the head of the Cuban Communist Party.
“We’re considering whether we have the technological ability to reinstate that access,” Biden said.
The president also indicated that for now, they are not considering re-establishing the U.S. to Cuba remittances because it’s “highly likely” that the regime would confiscate the funds.
“There are a number of things that we would consider doing to help the people of Cuba, but it would require a different circumstance or a guarantee that they would not be taken advantage of by the [Cuban regime],” Biden said. “For example, the ability to send remittances back to Cuba. I would not do that now because the fact is it’s highly likely that the regime would confiscate those remittances or big chunks of it.”
Starting over the past weekend, thousands of Cubans have openly demonstrated against the authoritarian regime and called for leader Diaz-Canel to step down. Some demonstrators, as well as Cubans in the United States, have called on the Biden administration to intervene amid mass arrests of demonstrators by the regime.
Biden’s remarks that they “consider” to aid Cubans came as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) asked the president in a letter to provide federal assistance to the citizens of the island nation as well as help them with internet access.
“As you know, the Cuban people are taking to the streets to protest the Communist regime, and the Cuban government has responded with violence,” he said. “At first, the world could see the images and videos of this mass movement, but now the tyrannical regime of President Miguel Diaz-Canel has shut off access to the internet.”
“They deserve a government that supports them, whether that is making sure they have health and medical supplies, access to vaccines, or whether they have economic opportunity and prosperity,” Psaki said.
“This has been a government—an authoritarian, communist regime—that has repressed its people and has failed the people of Cuba, hence we’re seeing them in the streets,” she continued.
Amid the demonstrations, activists told news outlets this week that more than 100 people have been arrested, detained, or are simply missing in a regime-led clampdown.
