The people of Cuba are staging one of the biggest anti-governmental demonstrations in decades to protest the lack of supply of food, essential needs, and medicines, especially regarding Covid-19 vaccines. Thus, the start of SOS Cuba.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a serious impact on the island, with cases increasing and due to the inadequate medical supplies, mortality rates have skyrocketed.
Cubans are sharing their story with the world through social media. They upload pictures of themselves who have resorted to hunting for basic items at government-controlled stores using hashtag #SOSCuba to share what they’re going through.
What is “SOS Cuba”?
The people of Cuba have not lost their courage or desire for freedom. “No Tenemos miedo!” (We are not afraid) and “Queremos Libertad!” could be heard throughout the country as spontaneous street protests broke out on July 11th.
A thousand protestors marched across Havana, demonstrating their unity, demanding humanitarian assistance and international attention. They used the hashtag #SOSCuba to garner support from the world as well as show them a glimpse of what life under oppression feels like.
However, Cuban authorities were able to largely silence the anti-governmental protests by blocking and shutting down the internet. A middle-aged protestor who was interviewed, hiding his identity for fear that he might get arrested, said “We are fed up with the queues, the shortages. That’s why I’m here.”
The protests grew despite being charged by police officers and subjected to tear gas barrages. But President Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed Cuban Americans for the uprising. In an interview, he said: “As if pandemic outbreaks had not existed all over the world, the Cuban-American mafia, paying very well on social networks to influencers and YouTubers, has created a whole campaign…and has called for demonstrations across the country.”
Celebrities Show Support By Spreading Awareness About The Cuban Crisis
In the wake of unprecedented waves of protests breaking out across Cuba, many Latin Americans in the United States took to Miami’s Little Havana and New York City’s Times Square to march and show their support for the Cuban people. Also, several Cuban-American celebrities used their social media platforms in spreading the message to their million fans.
One of them is “Havana” singer Camila Cabello who posted a black square with a Cuban flag in her Instagram account: “Hey guys, there is a major crisis right now in Cuba and we need your help to spread awareness, deaths from COVID are rising rapidly and because of the lack of medicine, resources, basic necessities, and even food, many people are dying.”
The singer continued in her post: “Right now, there are simultaneous protests in more than five cities in Cuba. Our brave people took the streets to protest for this humanitarian crisis and the people of Cuba need our help urgently. Please spread this message by posting #SOSCuba to your feed to help bring awareness and support to my people.””
Gloria Estefan, a proud Cuban and Miami resident, followed suit. She hashtagged her Instagram post #SOSCuba along with the lyrics from one of her own songs “Cuba libre.”
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