Cubans have been struggling to feed themselves and suffering power outages that last days, but the communist Castro dictatorship’s priority is putting on a show. On Friday, thousands of Cubans were forced to march in protest of U.S. sanctions against the Cuban regime with serious consequences for those who refused to participate.
With Cuban dictator Raul Castro leading the charge, employees of the State, which make up the lion share of Cubans, were forced to participate in a manufactured display in the hopes it will distract the Cuban people from their misery and somehow force President Biden to make unilateral concessions to the communist dictatorship.
On December 20, Army General Raúl Castro led the so-called “March of the Combatant People,” which took place in the area of the Anti-Imperialist Tribune and La Rampa (23rd Street) in Havana.
The event, called by the regime despite the serious crisis affecting the country, was also attended by President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The demonstration began at 4:00 PM local time, at an event organized by the government to “condemn the economic blockade policy of the United States and Cuba’s inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.”
However, experts assert that this has been a strategy to pressure President Joe Biden into making changes regarding the island at the end of his term and to send a warning message to the public in light of the growing signs of popular discontent with the country’s situation. The government deployed a fleet of buses and military trucks to transport soldiers to the march.
This event took place in a highly critical context for the Cuban population, marked by a severe economic crisis, evident in food shortages, ongoing blackouts, and increasing instability in basic services. The announcement triggered a wave of criticism on social media, where citizens voiced their frustration over the lack of real solutions to everyday problems.
The complaints highlight the disconnect between the urgent needs of the population and the regime’s efforts to organize large-scale events for propaganda purposes. They explained that despite the economic difficulties, the government allocates significant resources to ensure the success of the march, while segments of the population continue to face increasingly challenging living conditions.
Since his “retirement,” Cuban dictator Raul Castro has preferred to hide in the shadows. His appearance at this forced march, however, shows the desperation of the communist regime. They know their days are numbered.