D.C. Mayor Painted 'Black Lives Matter' on the Streets, But She Erased 'Cuba Libre'

Last year, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D-Washington, D.C.) directed her taxpayer-funded staff to paint “Black Lives Matter” in all caps along 16th Street N.W. near the White House. Yet when activists painted “CUBA LIBRE” on the same street in front of the Cuban Embassy last Friday, Bowser’s staff erased the message.

While the “CUBA LIBRE” lettering appeared to be in the same style as the state-sanctioned Black Lives Matter graffiti, D.C. Department of Public Works crews arrived outside the embassy on Friday afternoon to remove “the unauthorized painting,” spokeswoman Erica Cunningham told The Washington Post.

The Cuban Embassy attacked the U.S. in a statement.

“Despite the systematic policy of confrontation and aggression of the United States government against Cuba, the American diplomats who work in the US Embassy in Havana have always been safe and have never been the object of attacks, or other manifestations of hatred. The Cuban Government expects the same behavior on the US side,” an embassy spokesperson told the Post.

The claim that American diplomats in Havana “have always been safe” and have “never been the object of attacks” seems rather debatable, considering mysterious cases of headaches, dizziness, and nausea these diplomats have experienced. Cuba may not take credit for the “Havana Syndrome,” but it seems to belie the claims here.

When thousands of protesters took to the streets across Cuba earlier this month, President Joe Biden expressed support for the protesters, even though he refused to condemn Havana’s communism by name. Yet some on the Left blamed the U.S. for the horrific conditions in Cuba, effectively covering for the communist government. The Washington Post‘s Tolls Olorunnipa explained that many Democrats do “not want to go hard against Cuba… because there are some Democrats, some Progressives, who agree with some of” what the communist regime has done.

Democrats freaked out in the 2020 election when Sen. Bernie Sanders (S-Havana) started praising Fidel Castro for his literacy programs. “When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing, even though Fidel Castro did it?” Sanders asked. He also suggested that the Cuban people didn’t remove Castro from power because “he educated their kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society, you know?” In reality, the counter-revolution against Castro failed because the Cuban dictator silenced dissidents via firing squad.

Notably, Black Lives Matter spoke out amid the protests against communist oppression in Cuba — on the side of the oppressors. “Black Lives Matter condemns the U.S. federal government’s inhumane treatment of Cubans, and urges it to immediately lift the economic embargo,” the official organization declared in a statement. “This cruel and inhumane policy, instituted with the explicit intention of destabilizing the country and undermining Cubans’ right to choose their own government, is at the heart of Cuba’s current crisis.”

While Black Lives Matter attacked the U.S. for allegedly oppressing Cuba, it praised the communist regime. “Cuba has historically demonstrated solidarity with oppressed peoples of African descent, from protecting Black revolutionaries like [domestic terrorist and cop killer] Assata Shakur through granting her asylum, to supporting Black liberation struggles in Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau and South Africa,” the statement continued.

Did Bowser’s decision to remove “CUBA LIBRE” from 16th Street in front of the Cuban Embassy have anything to do with Black Lives Matter’s support for the Caribbean communist regime?

As Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller noted, Bowser praised Cuba’s government in 2016.

“Given Cuba’s emphasis on a strong education, I know there’s a lot we can learn from each other,” Bowser said after visiting the University of Havana. “The District will continue to draw on best practices from around the globe as we close the achievement gap and prepare the next generation for the jobs of tomorrow.”

Bowser also complimented Cuba’s health care system. “No matter your background or economic status, everyone has the right to quality health care – and it’s encouraging to see that Cuba has made that a top priority,” she said.

Last year, Bowser apparently endorsed the Black Lives Matter movement even though protests over the horrific police killing of George Floyd devolved into riots that proved destructive of black lives, black livelihoods, and black monuments. Bowser not only had “Black Lives Matter” painted on the street but she designated the square near the White House “Black Lives Matter Plaza.”

It seems “Cuba Libre Plaza” will not be in the works anytime soon.