Cuba

Floor Speech

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Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, this weekend, the people of Cuba rose up in opposition to their repressive socialist government.

I think it is important to be clear on that point because much of the mainstream media that is reporting on these protests makes it sound as if everything is pandemic related, but what is happening in Cuba is not an economic fluke, and every single person serving in this body, working in the media, and analyzing the policy implications knows better than to say otherwise.

This isn't the pop socialism touted by the American left. It is not fashionable. There is no empowerment or equality in the socialist regime; there is just starvation, shortages, violence, and failure. For 62 years, the ruling Communists have bled the Cuban people dry, and now armed thugs have taken to the streets to repress the opposition at any cost.

Make no mistake, this is a test for President Biden. He must draw a line in the sand.

I call on my colleagues in the majority and on President Biden and the members of his Cabinet to join me in supporting all who would risk their lives to expose the ravages of socialism in Cuba.

We must lead in discussions with the U.N. and the EU and coordinate opposition to this violence being carried out against the people of Cuba.

We must demand that the Cuban Government allow for a free and open internet and initiate investigations into if and how Havana used technology supported by the Chinese Communist Party to cut off access to the internet just as the protests started gaining mainstream attention.

We cannot stand by while Communist thugs gun down their own people. We cannot let this become another Venezuela.

Just as we stand with the freedom fighters suffering in Hong Kong, on mainland China, and in other socialist regimes around the world, we must stand with the people of Cuba.

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