MARCO RUBIO: "Marxism is not dead. If we don’t confront this now, and defeat it, it will destroy this country & everything that has made it special." pic.twitter.com/T2edS8oWvX
— The Conservative Alternative (@OldeWorldOrder) July 11, 2026
On July 11, 2021, thousands of Cubans took to the streets to protest, among other things, their lack of access to food, water, medicine, and electricity, as well as the way the regime handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Libertad!" they shouted, as they called for the end of the Communist regime and the resignation of "president" Miguel Díaz-Canel. It was the first time in nearly three decades that the Cuban people had come together to protest in such numbers.
It was the anti-communism cry heard around the world, but the regime, of course, blamed the United States' sanctions for its hardships and media manipulation for the images pouring out of the country of what began as a peaceful protest but quickly turned violent at the hands of the regime's police force.
A handful of people died, and thousands more were arrested and charged with crimes like "sedition," for simply speaking up against repression. Today, the regime holds over 1,200 political prisoners in its detention centers. There was talk of United States intervention at the time, but it didn't happen. Several human rights groups condemned the regime's actions, but nothing ever came of it.
On Saturday, July 11, 2026, the fifth anniversary of that protest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement, calling "for the immediate release of these, and all, political prisoners in Cuba."
Today marks five years since the Communist Cuban regime brutally suppressed the peaceful July 11 demonstrations and yet again silenced Cubans’ cries for basic rights, dignity, and opportunity. To this day, hundreds of Cubans remain unjustly detained, suffering brutal conditions,…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 11, 2026
"President Trump and I want a better future for Cuba and its long-suffering people," he added. "After decades of repression and gross mismanagement, Cuba’s economy is in freefall, and its people continue to suffer blackouts, hunger, and deprivation. The United States has always supported the Cuban people with humanitarian assistance and exports of food, medicine, and critical goods. In this Administration, we have offered Cuba aid, assistance with reconstruction, and the promise of a new relationship between our two countries, if the regime will only agree to make political and economic reforms to allow the country a chance at prosperity."
Rubio went on to explain exactly why the country is in the shape it's in:
Sadly, the regime and its corrupt elites continue to refuse any efforts at meaningful reform, instead continuing to prioritize perpetuating their own total control over the Cuban people, and their dogmatic adherence to their failed and morally bankrupt Marxist ideology. While the people cry out for reform, Cuba’s Communist overlords continue to consolidate economic control, steal and squirrel away overseas what few resources remain, and blame others for their failures. They continue to ally themselves with America’s enemies, presenting a serious national security threat to our nation by hosting hostile foreign military, intelligence, terror, and operations less than 100 miles from our homeland and supporting dangerous subversive and terror networks in the United States itself.
He concluded his message with what sounded like a warning (emphasis mine):
The United States will continue to use every tool at our disposal to both address the national security threats posed by the Cuban Communist regime, and to drive the economic and political reforms to give Cuba a better future. Cuba’s leaders must simply choose to commit themselves to real reforms, peace and prosperity—before it is too late.
As I type this on Saturday night, the anniversary of these protests, the Cuban people are, once again, taking to the streets to protest. While they aren't out by the thousands like they were on that day, many of them are losing their fear. The country, which has now suffered two nationwide blackouts this last week, is in even worse shape than it was in 2021, and the people simply can't live this way any longer. They're out banging pots and pans and shouting the same things they were five years ago, calling for an end to the regime. Let's hope that this time they get it.
🚨🇨🇺 ¡AHORA MISMO! Protesta en La Habana Vieja.
— Cubanet 🇨🇺 (@CubanetNoticias) July 12, 2026
Mientras vecinos hacen sonar cazuelas y gritan consignas contra los dirigentes, el régimen reúne policías y fuerzas paramilitares en la sede municipal del PCC.
La tensión aumenta en el quinto aniversario del 11J. pic.twitter.com/wgGHzQhjey
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
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