The last two weeks witnessed widespread protests against the authoritarian Cuban regime, with thousands taking to the streets in Havana to express dissatisfaction with the government¡¯s handling of the COVID-19 crisis and ¡ª above all ¡ª the torpid economy.
Hit by the collapse of tourism, a mainstay of the economy, the government has struggled to maintain even the very low standard of living the Cuban people have endured for decades. With former U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s sanctions still in place, Raul Castro ¡ª brother of the regime¡¯s revolutionary founder, Fidel Castro ¡ª shifted to a symbolic leadership role, and a wave of COVID-19¡¯s delta variant roiling the island, unrest has bubbled over.
What should the U.S. be doing to capitalize on the chaos, weaken the communist government and help the people of Cuba?
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