The Democratic Socialists of America — of which Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) are members — expressed solidarity with the Cuban people against the American embargo.
“DSA stands with the Cuban people and their Revolution in this moment of unrest,” the organization tweeted. “End the blockade.”
DSA stands with the Cuban people and their Revolution in this moment of unrest. End the blockade. pic.twitter.com/jzFVrthoMm
— DSA International Committee (@dsa_intl_comm) July 12, 2021
Social media users immediately pointed out that Cubans are protesting against the island’s communist dictatorship — not the American embargo.
“Drop the Democratic and go with SA,” commented Hussein Ibish of the Arab Gulf States Institute.
Drop the Democratic and go with SA.
— Hussein Ibish (@Ibishblog) July 12, 2021
“End the Blockade? They aren’t protesting the blockade?” noted another user.
End the Blockade? They aren’t protesting the blockade?
— Terry Lee Watkins Jr. 王瑞民💜💙 (@TerryWatkinsJr1) July 12, 2021
“Some of the protestors are waving US flags,” said a third. “They aren’t protesting US sanctions. Cuba trades with other countries in LatAm and Europe. Why do they need to trade with the US? The US allows people to send stuff and money to Cuba. Many on the island survive off those remittances.”
https://twitter.com/americo_oscar/status/1414615688455630849
Four members of the United States House of Representatives — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) — are members of the Democratic Socialists of America. As of this article’s publication, none of the four lawmakers have addressed the Cuban uprisings on social media — although they have discussed topics as diverse as critical race theory, universal healthcare, climate change, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Other left-leaning politicians — including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — have refrained from explicitly noting the role of socialism or communism in the protests.
On Monday night, Sanders also called for an end to the embargo: “All people have the right to protest and to live in a democratic society. I call on the Cuban government to respect opposition rights and refrain from violence. It’s also long past time to end the unilateral U.S. embargo on Cuba, which has only hurt, not helped, the Cuban people.”
All people have the right to protest and to live in a democratic society. I call on the Cuban government to respect opposition rights and refrain from violence. It’s also long past time to end the unilateral U.S. embargo on Cuba, which has only hurt, not helped, the Cuban people.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 13, 2021
Likewise, President Biden’s Monday statement — which condemned “the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime” — did not plainly reference the government’s Marxist philosophy.
