Thousands of Cubans took to the streets to protest declining conditions under the country’s communist regime, but the Biden administration claimed that they were protesting rising COVID cases and deaths. 

Cubans in more than 32 cities rose up on Sunday with chants of “Liberty,” “Freedom,” and “Down with Communism” as they rallied against Castro replacement Miguel Diaz-Canel’s disastrous dictatorship.  

Though they waved American flags and cried out “Cuba isn’t yours” at the Communist Party headquarters in Havana, the White House believes COVID is the root cause of the island-wide demonstrations. 

“Peaceful protests are growing in #Cuba as the Cuban people exercise their right to peaceful assembly to express concern about rising COVID cases/deaths & medicine shortages,” tweeted Julie Chung, the Acting Assistant Secretary for U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. “We commend the numerous efforts of the Cuban people mobilizing donations to help neighbors in need.”

The internet was quick to tear apart Chung’s statement. “No they’re chanting LIBERTAD,” replied Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). “ Stop playing cover for communists and support the Cuban people. My god. Why is that so hard for you.”

This is a ridiculous tweet from @StateDept,” remarked Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). “People in #Cuba are protesting 62 years of socialism, lies, tyranny & misery not “expressing concern about rising COVID cases/deaths.” Why is it so hard for @potus & the people in his administration to say that?”

Cuba is facing a massive resurgence of COVID-19 as cases reached a new daily record of 6,923, protesters are calling for an end to communism, in addition to their demands for more access to food, medicine, and vaccines.  

President Diaz-Canel blames the United States for the country’s problems, claiming that the demonstrations were being held by “counterrevolutionary, mercenary people paid by the U.S. government.”  

He called for Communist “revolutionaries” to rise up and battle in the streets. “We are not going to hand over the sovereignty or the independence of people. There are many revolutionaries in this country who are willing to give our lives, we are willing to do anything, and we will be in the streets fighting,” he said Sunday.

Diaz-Canel seems to be making good on his promise, Rubio shared a video on Twitter showing what he referred to as “Communist repression squads” climbing into a line of trucks.