HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Why A Dictatorship Could Crumble: "Young Cubans... have not been brainwashed."

Views:968
@ReasonVids

Martha Bueno's organization, People 4 Cuba, smuggles food and medicine directly into the hands of suffering Cubans to help undermine an oppressive dictatorship.

Full text and links: https://reason.com/video/2022/03/16/the-decomposition-of-cubas-communist-regime/


------------------
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ReasonTV?subconfirmation=1
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason

Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.
----------------

A massive protest movement broke out in Cuba on July 11, 2021. Food, medicine, and electricity shortages exacerbated by the COVID pandemic were pushing an already desperate, oppressed, and impoverished nation to the brink of rebellion.

Demonstrators used the internet—which has only been legally available in the country since 2018—to coordinate action in large and small cities across the island.

"Freedom…I felt free. I have never experienced in my life something so spectacular and wonderful. You had to have lived it to understand," one Cuban citizen, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from the Cuban government, told Reason.

In the face of widespread protests, the Cuban government arrested hundreds of protesters and shut down the internet.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel appeared on state TV to call for the violent suppression of the protests against "counter-revolutionaries."

In Miami, members of the sizable Cuban-American community planned to load their own fishing boats with supplies to make the 90-mile journey to the island themselves but were deterred by the U.S. Coast Guard.

So they set off fireworks in international waters off the coast of Cuba instead.

"I think what people don't understand is that the problem in Cuba stems from the fact that people can't do anything for themselves," says Martha Bueno, a Cuban-American activist. "You're only allowed to make money if the government says it's OK. And that's how the government throttles people. They'll throw you in jail if you decide to try and feed your family on your own."

Bueno started the group People 4 Cuba following the protests. They assemble packages of dry foods and medical supplies and then pay people $35/pound to smuggle them onto the island. They've shipped more than 800 pounds so far, but she says it's become more difficult in recent months as the Cuban government has cracked down harder on smuggled medical supplies.

"The big reason that we have to smuggle it into Cuba is because if I send it legitimately… the Cuban government will take that and then sell it in the stores," says Bueno. "I wanted people to receive it, people who needed it to be able to receive it without paying. And I especially won't help the Cuban government. I refuse to fund raise, pay for, and then give it to them so that they can sell it in the stores. I'm not that kind of girl."

Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Dominic Easter.

Photo credits: Al Diaz/TNS/Newscom; Yander Zamora/EFE/Newscom; Michele Eve Sandberg / SplashNews/Newscom; Elvis Gonzalez/EFE/Newscom; INSTARimages/Cover Images/Newscom; Ismael Francisco/AP; imageBROKER/Egon B�msch/Newscom; Ernesto Mastrascusa/EFE/Newscom; Cristian Mijea/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Circa Images/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; Ardavan Roozbeh/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom; YAMIL LAGE/TNS/Newscom; CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Newscom; José Méndez/EFE/Newscom

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
    Thumbnail for The Air Force Veteran Fighting to Save Afghans From the Taliban14:00
    The Air Force Veteran Fighting to Save Afghans From the Taliban
    ReasonVids
    1015 views
    Thumbnail for Eagles enjoy some chiggun nuggets0:22
    Eagles enjoy some chiggun nuggets
    bestofupgoat
    208 views
    Thumbnail for Halo 3 - Big Team Battle Slayer - Rats Nest (XBOX ONE) | Mystical Gaming8:33
    Halo 3 - Big Team Battle Slayer - Rats Nest (XBOX ONE) | Mystical Gaming
    invidious
    41 views
    Thumbnail for Trump is ahead in every battleground state, according to recent poll #shorts | Fox Business1:00
    Trump is ahead in every battleground state, according to recent poll #shorts | Fox Business
    invidious
    216 views
    Thumbnail for "Father of Video Games" Nolan Bushnell on Learning through Gaming4:34
    "Father of Video Games" Nolan Bushnell on Learning through Gaming
    ReasonVids
    1077 views
    Thumbnail for Mansplaining at its best 0:11
    Mansplaining at its best
    bestofupgoat
    467 views
    Thumbnail for WTF I love PJW now0:37
    WTF I love PJW now
    bestofvoatxyz
    2623 views
    Thumbnail for White man ignorantly tries to reason with Negroes who stole his gun0:44
    White man ignorantly tries to reason with Negroes who stole his gun
    bestofupgoat
    145 views
    Thumbnail for “I like my coffee, like my men” | CrackerMilk0:38
    “I like my coffee, like my men” | CrackerMilk
    invidious
    106 views
    Thumbnail for Steamed Hams but every word is replaced with its first occurrence | Top Quality Content2:43
    Steamed Hams but every word is replaced with its first occurrence | Top Quality Content
    invidious
    120 views
    Thumbnail for The 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition (preliminary round) 2nd session, 4.05.2025 | Chopin Institute3:53:19
    The 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition (preliminary round) 2nd session, 4.05.2025 | Chopin Institute
    invidious
    125 views
    Thumbnail for A tool to measure the area of any shape | Chris Staecker6:24
    A tool to measure the area of any shape | Chris Staecker
    invidious
    439 views
    Thumbnail for Small plane plummets into ocean at New Hampshire beach0:24
    Small plane plummets into ocean at New Hampshire beach
    bestofvoatxyz
    577 views
    Thumbnail for Everyone on CNN | tyler fischer1:18
    Everyone on CNN | tyler fischer
    invidious
    225 views
    Thumbnail for Why are their insurance rates lower than ours, again?1:07
    Why are their insurance rates lower than ours, again?
    bestofupgoat
    75 views
    Thumbnail for Lesbians aren't real0:47
    Lesbians aren't real
    bestofupgoat
    351 views
    Thumbnail for I must go, my people need me.0:59
    I must go, my people need me.
    bestofupgoat
    387 views
    Thumbnail for Things You Didn't Know3:13
    Things You Didn't Know
    bestofupgoat
    428 views
    Thumbnail for does the price of a cat collar matter to a cat? | Abram Engle1:01
    does the price of a cat collar matter to a cat? | Abram Engle
    invidious
    155 views
    Thumbnail for What Will Recreational Marijuana Legalization Mean for California? Q&A with Lynne Lyman19:33
    What Will Recreational Marijuana Legalization Mean for California? Q&A with Lynne Lyman
    ReasonVids
    1053 views
    Thumbnail for Australian Nazi Thomas Sewell punched a Black guy, avoids jail time, gives interview to Jew media, and says "Heil Hitler" at the end. 6:51
    Australian Nazi Thomas Sewell punched a Black guy, avoids jail time, gives interview to Jew media, and says "Heil Hitler" at the end.
    bestofvoatxyz
    920 views
    Thumbnail for Look at my bum0:08
    Look at my bum
    AOUisgay
    520 views
    Thumbnail for PlayStation's new handheld console! | SpawnPoiint0:37
    PlayStation's new handheld console! | SpawnPoiint
    invidious
    167 views
    Thumbnail for FALL IN LINE YOU MAGGOTS!0:57
    FALL IN LINE YOU MAGGOTS!
    bestofupgoat
    73 views
    Thumbnail for Nicholas Sarwark on The Future of the Libertarian Party6:54
    Nicholas Sarwark on The Future of the Libertarian Party
    ReasonVids
    958 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle