Thousands of Cubans took to the streets on Sunday to protest a lack of food and medicine as the country undergoes a grave economic crisis aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic and US sanctions.
According to one Cuban, who spoke to the BBC on the condition of anonymity, “there is no food, no medicine, there is no freedom. They do not let us live.”
The outlet further reports that at the crux of the Cuba protests lies the issues that have arisen from American economic sanctions, the Cuban government’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and food and medicine shortages. The perfect storm of these three issues has collapsed the country’s economy.
The issues were exacerbated by the Trump administration, according to CNN. During the Trump era, tourists — which power the economy — were limited from visiting, and some even canceled their travel altogether. This further contributed to the failing economy — and it was all but toppled when the pandemic hit.
That’s why Bernie Sanders blamed the American sanctions on the island for the current Cuba protests.
“It’s also long pastime to end the unilateral U.S. embargo on Cuba, which has only hurt, not helped, the Cuban people,” he said.
But the real answer isn’t that simple. While protests are common in the United States and enshrined in the Constitution. They’re forbidden in places like Cuba, where protesting against the government will result in arrest and incarceration. That’s what’s happening to these protestors — and according to the BBC, the only reason we know about it is that the Internet is shining a light on all of it.
For Sanders, though, the Cuba protests speak to a larger need of the people that’s no longer being met by their government.
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.
While this is not to say that American-style democracy is the correct choice for Cuba — the Batista administration was just as corrupt and murderous as the Castro regime — it is to say that anything’s better than what they have now.
For his part, President Biden is supportive of the Cuba protests.
“We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime,” Biden said in a statement.
Davido, a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer dropped his vibrant new music video for his track #1Milli. He is giving us major Yoruba and Afro-Caribbean moreover Brazilian vibes. Also, with the show off of Afro-descendant Religion, which was taken to the New World by Yoruba slaves from Africa.
One year after the release of “Assurance” visuals, where Davido proudly showed us his girlfriend and current fiancée in a music video that had 53 million views, he returns with “1 milli” visual, the second track of his album A Good Time. This one also features his soon-to-be bride Chioma Rowland. This is a song where he expresses his love for her and talks about the bride price he is willing to pay for his beloved.
This clip is a vibrant tribute to the Afro-Caribbean community descending from Africa. Most of all, in this carnival period, the release of this clip is not insignificant. The traditional getup, the landscapes, the atmosphere delivers homage to the Afro-Brazilian community which is instantly recognizable. Indeed, this community is renowned for having the second-largest black community where African influences are still very present through. For example, the candomblé religion which is one of the Afro-Brazilian religions practiced in Brazil, but also in neighboring countries such as Uruguay, Cuba, Paraguay, Argentina, and Venezuela.
A mixture of catholicism, indigenous rites, and African beliefs, this religion consists of a cult of orixás (pronounced “oricha”), the candomblé gods of totemic and family origin, each associated with a natural element (water, forest, fire, lightning, etc.)
In Brazil, especially in Salvador de Bahia, Osun is an orisha goddess who is truly praised. She is a goddess found in Yoruba mythology.
Davido who is of Yoruba heritage, commemorate the end of Black History Month by promoting black unity but also by celebrating the Afro-Caribbean culture, knowing that the carnival culture was initiated by Afro-descendants.
As with all great migrations, the Africans that arrived in the carribean not only brought over their strength and beauty but also their music and cultural traditions.
