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America has always been very selective in our outrage. We reward Saudi Arabia’s appalling treatment of women with lucrative defense contracts which allow them to commit unspeakable atrocities, slaughtering tens of thousands of civilians in neighboring Yemen.

We tolerate Egypt’s brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators rewarding the autocrat, President Sisi $billions each year. We trade freely with communist Vietnam because they are a source of cheap labor. We send $billions to Israel ignoring their brutal occupation, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid policies. We scream “bloody murder” in response to the crackdown of protesters in Cuba but remain silent on crackdowns in Colombia and Honduras. We continue the failed Trump Cuba policies of maximum pressure causing wide-spread starvation amid the devastating Covid pandemic. The Biden admiration has even continued the Trump policy of halting remittances sent by Cuban-Americans. Tens of thousands of Cubans depend on these remittances to survive. The US policy is an abomination and violates the basic tenets of all religions. The poor suffer while those in power continue their life of privilege.  

It is astounding that we so critical of Cuba ignoring the history of this belligerent relationship. When the United States intervened in Cuba in 1898, during the Spanish-American War, Cuba was forced to sign the Platt Amendment granting the US neocolonial rights. Cuba was forced to grant Guantánamo Bay in perpetuity in return for receiving full sovereign rights. The fiery Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, demanded the return of Guantánamo Bay which fanned the flames of the anti-Castro movement. Following 9/11, Guantánamo Bay prison has been used to torture and house prisoners away from the peering eyes of Americans. The prisoners have never been charged with a crime and medieval torture methods have been used to extract confessions in complete violation of the Geneva Conventions. Pandering to the anti-Castro sentiments, the Biden administration imposed new sanctions on Cuba’s defense minister and Interior Ministry, with President Biden warning, “This is just the beginning.” Oh. America will you ever give up bullying smaller nations to bend to your will”? In sharp contrast Mexico became the good benevolent nation sending ships with food and medical supplies, including syringes, oxygen tanks and masks. 

Most Cuban Americans are concentrated in South Florida, and so they become a really pivotal constituency in elections. Conservative Democrats in the House and in the Senate are urging Biden to maintain the anti-Cuba rhetoric, despite his campaign promises, for fear of losing even more ground in Florida in the 2022 midterm elections. So, President Biden do not claim you are a practicing Catholic if you choose political expediency over the basic rights of the Cuban people.