Cuba claims to have 'irrefutable' proof of US link in protests; blames Twitter for unrest

As unprecedented protests in Cube have rocked the nation since July 11, the single-party state leadership has blamed on US-based microblogging platform Twitter. In a press conference on Tuesday evening, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez cited “irrefutable proof” to claim that Twitter drove the demonstrations on Sunday including a massive anti-government march in Havana and other smaller ones across the island. He accused an anti-government Twitter campaign of inciting people to riot. Following the protests, the internet was shut for several hours on Sunday in a bid to restrict people from sharing live scenes from the protests. 

"I have irrefutable proof that the majority of those that took part in this (internet) campaign were in the United States and used automated systems to make content go viral, without being penalized by Twitter," Cuba's Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez said. He had reportedly also denied that Cuba experienced a “social explosion” when scores of people in the island flooded the streets to chant “Freedom!" and "Down with the dictatorship!" The Cuban Foreign Minister also referred to the same as a “communication and information war against Cuba.”

The internet services suspended on Sunday were restored by Monday but cellphone data and public wi-fi hotspots were reportedly still blocked. As per reports, when Rodriguez was asked about when the internet services would be fully back since most of the people on the island depend on data packages, the Cuban minister talked about energy resources and power outages that also impact the computer servers. 

What is happening in Cuba?

On Sunday, July 11, demonstrations erupted across the nation marking the biggest protests since those a quarter-century ago when then-President Fidel Castro had to personally walked down the streets to calm the people. The protesters who flooded the streets over the weekend expressed anger over long queues, shortages of food and medicines, electricity outages. Others demanded a rapid pace of COVID-19 vaccination amid the crippling pandemic. Some demonstrators chanted “Liberty!” “Down with the dictatorship!” and “Fatherland and life!” which is a twist on the revolutionary slogan, “Fatherland or death!”

“It’s time for things to change. The situation is critical,” said Cristian Veliz, a 22-year-old construction worker as per The Associated Press.

As per reports, Cuba’s government had also blamed the hardships on the United States sanctions that according to the island, costs it $5.5 billion in 2020. However, critics have strongly disputed the figures and blamed Cuba’s government for its failure to stabilise the eternally dismal state-run economy. Cuba has also claimed that the American government and its enemies in the United States are using social media tools including Twitter to send messages to kickstart protests. 

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