Mayor Muriel Bowser scrubbed a mural calling for Cuban liberty from the streets of Washington, D.C.
Activists painted “Cuba Libre” — “Free Cuba” — in front of the Cuban embassy, located on 16th Street several blocks north of the White House. Bowser, a Democrat, scrubbed the mural one day after it appeared.
Someone left a message in front of #CubanEmbassy in #washingtonDC #CubaLibre #SOSCuba pic.twitter.com/We9v3xjfE6
— Dianela Urdaneta (@DianelaUrdaneta) July 16, 2021
The Washington Free Beacon reported:
Activists drew inspiration from the Black Lives Matter movement, whose slogan decorated the road in front of the White House for months. Comedian Alex Gonzalez of Los Pichy Boys, who has spent 15 years speaking out against the communist regime and streams videos about the crackdown in Cuba to his half-million followers on Instagram, said Bowser is siding with an oppressive regime.
The Bowser administration defended the decision to crackdown on the anti-Castro activists. “The ‘Cuba Libre’ painting on the street was unauthorized, so DPW crews power washed to remove it,” Erica Cunningham, the public information officer for D.C. Public Works, told the Free Beacon.
In June 2020, Bowser ordered city officials to paint the phrase “Black Lives Matter” on another portion of 16th Street closer to the White House, which was then officially dubbed “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” As The Daily Wire reported, social justice protesters later added the phrase “Defund The Police” without explicit approval from the District, leading to its removal.
Last week, Bowser announced that Black Lives Matter Plaza would become permanent following a construction project lasting until October.
Construction to make #BlackLivesMatter Plaza a permanent installation will begin on Monday and is expected to conclude by October 1.
🚗 16th Street NW b/t H and K Sts will be closed to through traffic
🚶 Sidewalks will remain open to pedestrians🔗 https://t.co/lHMNctSkds pic.twitter.com/6WoOp49DNv
— DDOT DC (@DDOTDC) July 16, 2021
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Black Lives Matter slammed the United States government for attempting to “crush” the Cuban Revolution with its embargo.
The group’s statement read:
Black Lives Matter condemns the U.S. federal government’s inhumane treatment of Cubans, and urges it to immediately lift the economic embargo. This cruel and inhumane policy, instituted with the explicit intention of destabilizing the country and undermining Cubans’ right to choose their own government, is at the heart of Cuba’s current crisis. Since 1962, the United States has forced pain and suffering on the people of Cuba by cutting off food, medicine and supplies, costing the tiny island nation an estimated $130 billion.
The people of Cuba are being punished by the U.S. government because the country has maintained its commitment to sovereignty and self-determination. United States leaders have tried to crush this Revolution for decades.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) — who is Cuban-American — slammed the organization: “The extortionist ring known as the Black Lives Matter organization took a break today from shaking down corporations for millions & buying themselves mansions to share their support for the Communist regime.”