Cubans rally to support government

HAVANA－Cubans continue to express support for the government after violent unrest in several of the country's cities on July 11.

Among them is Reinaldo Delgado, 36, who works as a teacher at the University of Informatics on the outskirts of the country's capital, Havana.

With some workmates and neighbors, he ventured outside holding national flags and patriotic banners with messages supporting the Cuban revolution. But they were injured by protesters.

"I decided to confront violent protesters in a pacific way, but they hit me with stones," he said. "I am committed to the construction of socialism in Cuba."

The government said dozens of people were injured by demonstrators during the unrest.

Alfredo Vazquez, secretary-general of the Cuban workers' trade union in Havana, was visiting his son in Marianao district when he first heard about the protests.

Soon he and a group of trade union leaders in Havana headed to San Lazaro Street in the surroundings of the city's sea boulevard, where hundreds of demonstrators were gathered.

"They reacted aggressively when they saw us, and I was injured too," he said, adding that he believes the protests were also related to the impact of economic measures taken by the United States against Cuba.

In Havana, the anti-government rallies disrupted traffic for several hours, and President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the US was pursuing a "policy of economic suffocation to provoke social unrest in the country".

Rights of the people

"The Cuban revolution defends the rights of everyone, without discrimination, but we cannot put at risk the independence and sovereignty of the country," he said in a televised address, adding that Cuban authorities have never encouraged violence among the population.

The Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, also blamed the US, saying the protests were "intended to destabilize the country amid the pandemic".

"President Joe Biden and the US government should, in the first place, listen to their own citizens, who mostly and systematically stand against the US blockade," he said.

Over the past few days, the Cuban government and its people have received messages of support from social organizations, political parties and progressive movements from all over the world.

Sonia Cruz, who lives in Havana, said she was happy to see the city return to normal after the protests.

"It's a peaceful and quiet country. Cubans overwhelmingly support the socialist revolution. Now we have to work hard to tackle the pandemic and improve the national economy."

Xinhua