♪ THEME MUSIC ♪ >>GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS.

I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO, WELCOME.

TODAY WE HAVE THE HONOR OF HAVING WITH US ON THE SHOW, CUBAN AUTHOR AND PHD SCHOLAR, ORLANDO LUIS PARDO LAZO, WELCOME.

>>THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>ORLANDO, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COVERAGE OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN CUBA OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

SO I WANT TO ASK YOU WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON ON THE GROUND IN CUBA AND HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM THE PAST?

>>IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE PAST BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF DEMONSTRATORS.

THE PEOPLE OF CUBA WE COULD SAY HAS AWAKENED TO A REALITY THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS AND DECADES BUT THAT IS NOT ONLY LIMITED TO SCARS IN MY OPINION IS MORE CONNECTED WITH THE LACK OF RIGHTS AND ALSO IN MY OPINION, AGAIN WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF CONNECTIVITY THAT CUBANS ARE HAVING RIGHT NOW FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IN THEIR MOBILE.

SO INTERNET IS A KEY FACTOR TO UNDERSTAND THE URGE OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN THE STREETS PEACEFULLY.

>>ORLANDO, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE AUTHORED MANY BOOKS AND HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES ON THE ISLAND AS YOU WERE BORN THERE AND YOU GREW UP THERE.

CAN YOU TELL US FROM YOUR BACKGROUND AND MIXING THAT NOW WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A DOCTORAL STUDENT, HOW WE CAN CONNECT THE EXPERIENCES WITH WHAT YOU KNOW HERE AND THEN CONNECT THAT WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ISLAND?

>>YEAH, WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ISLAND RIGHT NOW, BESIDES THE DIRE REPRESSION OF THEIR REGIME THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SHOT IN THE STREET, HURT, KILLED, ARRESTED, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT AT LEAST OVER 100, 500 CASES DOCUMENTED BUT WE REALLY ARE AFRAID THAT THE NUMBERS MIGHT BE IN THE THOUSANDS.

THESE ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE TRADITIONAL POLITICAL OPPOSITION AS I USED TO BE IN CUBA.

I WAS A BLOGGER IN CUBA.

THESE ARE CITIZENS, WORKERS, THE PROGRESSIVE SECTORS OF CUBAN SOCIETY TOOK THE STREETS ON SUNDAY, JULY 11TH AND ALSO MONDAY JULY 12 AND THEY WERE CLAIMING FREEDOM, CHANGE, WE ARE NOT AFRAID AND WE NEED TO BE HEARD.

I REALLY CANNOT IMAGINE A MUCH MORE... A MORE SOCIAL... ANY SCENARIO OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE BETTER THAN THIS FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE.

THIS SHOULDN'T BE FRAMED IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES SYSTEM AND THE SOCIALIST SYSTEM, THIS SHOULDN'T BE FRAMED IN THE NARRATIVE OF PRO-EMBARGO AGAINST THE EMBARGO BECAUSE WE WILL BE ONLY MAKING INVISIBLE THE PROTAGONIST OF THIS STORY, WHICH IS THE STUDENTS AND WORKERS IN CUBA, THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS AND ALSO IN A WAY WE WILL BE BEING VERY DISLOYAL TO WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN CUBA.

MY OPINION IS FRESH AIR, CIVIL MODERNITY AND ALSO THE WAVE OF PROTESTS AND DEMONSTRATION WAVING ALL THROUGH THE CONTINENT HAS TOUCHED LAND IN OUR ISLAND.

>>LET ME ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN OLD REGIME BUT YOU HAVE A NEW FACE IN FRONT OF IT.

HOW HAS THAT FACTORED IN?

>>YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY THE NEW PHASE IS AN OLD PHASE.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN PRESIDENT MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL WAS APPOINTED, RAUL CASTRO THE OLD PHASE THE GENERAL RAUL CASTRO SAID THAT THEY WERE WORKING WITH MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL SINCE AT LEAST 2013 IN ORDER TO TRAIN HIM TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF CUBA.

SO THIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION WHEN YOU ELECT A SINGLE CANDIDATE OF THE ONLY POLITICAL PARTY, WHICH IS LEGAL IN CUBA, THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND THEN THE PRESIDENT THAT IS LEAVING THE COUNTRY...

I MEAN, LEAVING HIS POSITION, RAUL CASTRO SAYS THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON THAT CANDIDATE FOR YEARS.

BUT IN ANY CASE, PEOPLE WERE SHOUTING EVEN I WOULD SAY OFFENSIVE RANTS AGAINST PRESIDENT DIAZ-CANEL BECAUSE HE LACKS THE CHARISMA.

HE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A MILITARY BUT HE REALLY HAS BEEN SAYING SINCE HE WAS APPOINTED, DESIGNATED, HE SAYS, "I'M NOTHING BUT THE CONTINUATION OR CONTINUITY OF CASTRO."

AND WITH THAT SPEECH YOUNGER GENERATION SAYS, "WELL, THEN WE DON'T LIKE YOU.

YOU ARE YOUNGER, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE A MILITARY COMMANDER IN CHIEF, BUT WE DON'T LIKE YOU IF YOU JUST ARE NOT BRINGING A NEW SPEECH FOR A NEW TIME IN OUR COUNTRY."

>>ORLANDO, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE SHARED WITH ME THAT YOU HAD BEEN ARRESTED IN CUBA SEVERAL TIMES FOR SOME OF YOUR WORK AND INVOLVEMENT.

AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT YOUR TAKE IS ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS THAT ARE ALSO BEING IMPACTED BY THIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE INTERNET WAS SHUT DOWN.

>>YES, INTERNET IS A KEY FACTOR FOR ME AS CUBAN, I MEAN, I KNOW THE INTERNET IN THE WORLD CAN BE TRIVIAL AND PEOPLE ARE WASTING TIME IN THE INTERNET.

THERE IS EVEN A BOOK TITLE LIKE THAT WASTING TIME ON THE INTERNET.

BUT IN CUBA YOU COULD SEE THIS YOUNG AND NOT SO YOUNG PEOPLE RECORDING THEMSELVES.

THERE WAS NO INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT PRESS AGENCY THERE IN THE STREETS OF CUBA, WE COMPLETELY RELY ON THE TESTIMONY OF THESE PEOPLE BROADCASTING THEMSELVES.

SOMETIMES THEY WERE HAPPY TO SEE THEMSELVES AS MARCHING PEACEFULLY, CHANTING [SPANISH] HOMELAND AND LIFE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE OLD SLOGAN OF HOMELAND OR DEATH, YOU SHOULD DIE FOR YOUR HOMELAND.

PEOPLE ARE SAYING, "I WANT TO LEAVE AND BE HAPPY IN MY HOMELAND AND FOR MY HOMELAND", TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM THE OLD COLD WAR NARRATIVE.

BUT BESIDES THAT THEY WERE RECORDING THEMSELVES AND SAYING...

IT'S MOVING FOR ME LIKE SAYING, "OH MY GOD, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE 5,000 PEOPLE FOLLOWING MY LIFE."

THIS MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE LIKE TRIVIAL, BUT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

THEY WERE HAPPY TO BE CONNECTED TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE THAT DOESN'T LIVE ONLY ON THE ISLAND, BUT ALSO IN THE DIASPORA, NOT TO MENTION THEY WORD EXILE.

BUT SO THERE WAS LIKE A MOMENT OF COMMUNION, A MOMENT OF VIRTUAL CITIZENSHIP TAKING PLACE IN THE FACE OF A REPRESSIVE STATE THAT WHAT THEIR REACTION IMMEDIATE WAS, "LET'S SHUT DOWN THE INTERNET IN THEIR WHOLE COUNTRY, WHETHER YOU ARE PROTESTING OR DEMONSTRATING OR NOT IN THE STREETS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO NARRATE YOURSELF.

I DON'T WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN THE STREETS OF CUBA."

OF COURSE, WHAT THEY WERE REALLY HIDING WAS THE MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SHOT.

I CAN DOCUMENT AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE SHOT, DEADLY SHOT.

IT'S VERY HARD TO WATCH THESE VIDEOS AND MANY, MANY ARRESTS OF PEOPLE IN CUBA THAT I DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER THEM POLITICALLY ENGAGED.

THEY ARE SIMPLY WRITERS, PAINTERS AND MAYBE SOCIAL ACTIVISTS IN A WAY MORE LIKE ONLINE CYBER ACTIVIST, BUT NOT MORE THAN THAT.

I WAS A POLITICAL DISSIDENT IN CUBA, I WAS ARRESTED THREE TIMES AND SUDDENLY IT'S MY FRIENDS NOW WHO HAVE BEEN BEATEN, BADLY BEATEN AND THEY ARE MANY OF THEM MISSING.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

>>ELEMENTS YOU'RE DESCRIBING, OF COURSE I ACTUALLY WITNESSED DURING THE ARAB SPRING TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND EGYPT AND ELSEWHERE WHERE YOU HAD AGAIN, SOCIAL MEDIA AND PEOPLE ABLE TO CONNECT WERE AVERAGE CITIZENS.

IN THOSE CASES, OF COURSE, EVENTUALLY YOU HAD A RESULT IN CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT.

DO YOU SEE THAT AS A LIKELY SCENARIO TODAY OR... BECAUSE SINCE THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE PEOPLE'S MESSAGE AS IT ONCE WAS, HOW THREATENING IS THIS TO THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT?

WILL THEY HAVE TO REFORM OR WILL THEY FALL?

>>MAN I WISH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART THAT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT REFORMS, BUT I WOULD SAY AS A MORE LIKE A POLITICAL ANALYST, IS VERY UNLIKELY SCENARIO.

IN PART, PARTIALLY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE CHANTING CHANGE, THEY WERE NOT POLITICALLY ORGANIZED.

THE LEADER OF THE POLITICAL DISSIDENTS IN CUBA WERE RETAINED AT THEIR HOMES.

THEY WERE NOT PART OF THIS PROTEST.

THEY WERE NOT MAKING A POLITICAL SPEECH IN THE STREETS OF CUBA.

THIS WAS A SILENT DEMONSTRATION.

OF COURSE, THE GOVERNMENT INFILTRATED THE DEMONSTRATION.

IT HAPPENS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE GOVERNMENT INFILTRATED THE DEMONSTRATION AND THEY WERE THROWING STONES AT STORES TRYING TO BREAK AND NOW THE CUBAN TELEVISION IS ONLY SHOWING THE IMAGES OF A COUPLE OF STORES BROKEN, SHATTERED, THE WINDOW PANES AND THEY ARE ALSO SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE TRIED TO OCCUPY A MATERNITY HOSPITAL TO TERRORIZE PREGNANT WOMEN.

WHAT IS THIS?

MY FRIENDS DON'T DO THAT.

NOBODY IN CUBA DOES THAT, NOT EVEN THE COMMUNISTS WHICH ARE REPRESSORS AND MURDERERS, HAVE DON'T EVER THAT.

SO THAT'S A VERY LYING NARRATIVE AND THE SECOND PART, I WOULD LIKE THE AUDIENCE TO BE VERY AWARE OF THIS IS THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS DONE NOTHING TO FOSTER OR PAY FOR THIS DEMONSTRATION.

PLEASE RESPECT THE AGENCY, THE CAPACITY OF MY PEOPLE TO PEACEFULLY DEMONSTRATE AND CLAIM FOR DEMOCRACY, NOTHING MORE THAN DEMOCRACY.

THE US GOVERNMENT, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS.

THEY HAVE CLEARLY DECLARED THIS, BUT THEN THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT SAYS, "NO, THE US EMBARGO IS PUSHING MY PEOPLE INTO THE STREETS AND THEREFORE PEOPLE WANT MORE FOOD."

"WE WANT MORE MCDONALD'S."

THAT'S SO OFFENSIVE.

WE DON'T WANT MCDONALD'S.

WE DON'T NEED US INVESTMENT OR WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE US EMBARGO IN CUBA IN ORDER TO CLAIM FOR OUR FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS, LIKE PART OF THE MODERN DEMOCRATIC WORLD.

>>ORLANDO, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE UNITED STATES AND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND PERCEPTION, WHAT ARE THE PROTESTS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE SUPPOSED TO DO IN TERMS OF PERCEPTION IN CUBA?

DO YOU THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN THE US AND IF YOU CAN GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON WHAT YOU'VE SEEN HAPPEN THIS WEEK HERE IN THE US, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO CUBA.

>>WHAT IT MEANS THAT WE ARE STARTING TO BEHAVE LIKE A SINGLE NATION.

A NATION IS SPLIT APART BY A GOVERNMENT, LET'S SAY MAYBE BY A GEOPOLITICAL CONTEXT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THE COLD WAR IS OVER, EISENHOWER IS NOT PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

KENNEDY IS NOT PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

NICKSON IS NOT PRESIDENT, CARTER, REAGAN, CLINTON, BUSH, OBAMA, TRUMP, PLEASE.

BUT WE STILL HAVE A PERSON IN CUBA THAT IS A CASTRO, RAUL CASTRO AND THE CONTINUITY, THE CONTINUATION OF THAT PERSON IS CLAIMING THAT HE IS NOTHING BUT THE CASTRO REGIME IN A NEW PHASE.

THE DEMONSTRATIONS IN FLORIDA AND THE DEMONSTRATION THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE THIS WEEKEND IN THE WHITE HOUSE ARE ONLY TRYING TO TELL THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, YOU NEED LATERAL CONCESSIONS, TRYING TO APPEASE A VIOLATOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS USUALLY WILL LEAD TO MORE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

IF YOU THINK THAT THE CUBAN POLICE IS HURTING MY PEOPLE AND IT'S ON VIDEO, TRYING TO FUND THE CUBAN POLICE FUNDED, NOT DEFUNDED, BUT FUND THE CUBAN POLICE WITH US TAXPAYERS DOLLARS, I THINK IT WILL LEAD TO A VERY RATIONAL AND LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES, MORE REPRESSION IN CUBA TO MY PEOPLE.

>>I NEED TO ASK SINCE WE'RE LOOKING A LITTLE ON WHAT WASHINGTON CAN DO.

I MEAN, A HARD LINE HAS NOT RESULTED IN POSITIVE CHANGE TO CUBAN GOVERNMENT SINCE THE CASTRO REGIME TOOK POWER.

SO WHY WOULD THAT CHANGE NOW?

>>YES, WE REALLY NEED... DAVID, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, WE REALLY NEED A CREATIVE APPROACH IN WASHINGTON DC.

MAYBE WE NEED TO OPEN SOME BRIDGES BUT AT THE SAME TIME MAY CLEAR THE POINT WITH THE US EMBARGO IS WHEN THE US EMBARGO IS LIFTED, WE DON'T HAVE CUBAN ENTREPRENEUR.

WE DON'T HAVE CUBAN ENTERPRISES IN CUBA, IT'S ONLY FAMILY BUSINESSES WHAT IS CALLED [SPEAKING IN SPANISH] OR ENTREPRENEUR WHEN TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH, BUT IT'S FAMILY BUSINESSES.

YOU CANNOT OWN TWO BUSINESSES IN CUBA.

YOU CANNOT HIRE MORE THAN FIVE, 10 PEOPLE IN CUBA AND IT'S A LICENSE.

IT'S NOT... YOU DON'T HAVE LIKE A LEGAL PERSONALITY TO CREATE A BUSINESS IN CUBA.

SO THE ONLY WAY FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO MAKE BUSINESSES IN CUBA IS TO MAKE BUSINESSES WITH THE US... WITH THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.

I KNOW THAT THE US MAKES BUSINESSES WITH MANY VIOLATORS OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

HERE THE QUESTION WILL BE, CAN WE CUBANS MAKE A LITTLE DIFFERENCE ABOUT THIS, CAN WE FORCE IN A WAY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT INTO A WAY OF ENGAGING MORE WITH THE PEOPLE?

YES.

I FAVOR TRAVEL.

I FAVOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, FREEDOM OF INVESTMENT BUT CAN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TAKE THIS UNIQUE HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.

I THINK THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WAS TRYING TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE, BIDEN WAS THERE SO MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE LEARNED WHAT WAS NOT WORKING IN THE PREVIOUS TIME.

THE REACTION OF THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT WERE VERY DISMISSIVE OF OBAMA, VERY DISRESPECTFUL OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, THE CASTRO ADMINISTRATION AT THAT TIME.

MAYBE BIDEN COULD TRY TO NOT ONLY APPEASE BUT HAVE A SPEECH THAT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL FOSTER AND WILL SIDE WITH THOSE WHO WANTS DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN CUBA.

NOT MORE THAN THAT, WE DON'T WANT TOP OF THE GOVERNMENT.

WE WANT DEMOCRATIC VALUES BE RESPECTED AND WE WANT TO ORGANIZE AS SOCIALISTS, DEMOCHRISTIANS, SOCIAL DEMOCRATS, ECOLOGIST, WHATEVER.

NOBODY'S TALKING ABOUT THE FAR RIGHT IN CUBA, NOBODY'S TALKING ABOUT HARD LINERS IN CUBA.

WE ARE TALKING THAT WE CANNOT ORGANIZE OURSELVES, EXCEPT WHEN WE ORGANIZE UNDER THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CUBA BY LAW, THAT'S VERY UNFAIR.

>>ORLANDO, WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

WHY SHOULD AMERICANS CARE?

>>CUBA AND CUBANS LOVE AMERICANS.

AMERICANS ARE WELCOMED THERE.

WE ARE CULTURALLY VERY MUCH PART OF THIS NATION.

IT MAY SOUND SO STRANGE.

CUBANS HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED UPON AMERICA WITH HOPE.

MAYBE WE DON'T KNOW VERY WELL.

I KNOW BETTER AMERICA NOW, BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOK UPON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WITH HOPE.

PLEASE DO NOT ABANDON MY PEOPLE.

AT LEAST CARE, SHARE BE INFORMED AND ESCAPE THE BINARY NARRATIVE EMBARGO AND NOT EMBARGO.

THIS IS ABOUT FREEDOM OR LACK OF FREEDOM.

>>ORLANDO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU AGAIN SOON.

>>THANK YOU.

>>THANK YOU SO MUCH, ORLANDO.

OUR SECOND GUEST TODAY IS DR. LUIS MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, PEGASUS PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT UCF, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST AND AUTHOR OF REVOLUTIONARY CUBA HISTORY.

WELCOME.

>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>DR.

MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, THE FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.

WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT?

>>WELL, THIS IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT THAN ACTUALLY UNPRECEDENTED.

THE CUBAN REGIME HAS BEEN IN POWER FOR 62 YEARS.

THERE WERE SOME MANIFESTATIONS AND PROTESTS OF COURSE EARLY ON THEN IN 1994, BUT IT WAS JUST LOCALIZED IN HAVANA AND IT LASTED A COUPLE OF HOURS.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS VERY DIFFERENT.

IT IS THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND FROM EAST TO WEST, THOUSANDS OF CUBANS OUT IN THE STREETS.

SO IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.

>>WITH THE PROTESTS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE IN THE US AND MEDIA CONTROLLING INFORMATION IN CUBA.

WHAT CAN WE SAY IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL OF THIS DURING THIS MOVEMENT?

>>WELL, IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THE SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE, NOT JUST HERE IN FLORIDA AND NOT JUST HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT WORLDWIDE.

WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS, NOT JUST TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT MANY OTHERS SUPPORTING THE CUBAN COURSE.

WE SEE THE UN, WE SEE THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES, WE SEE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING SOME POLITICAL LEADERS WHO ARE ON THE LEFT.

THEY'RE CALLING FOR THE END OF THE ARRESTS.

THEY'RE CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE.

THEY ARE ASKING THAT THE CUBAN PEOPLE BE ALLOWED WHAT IN THEIR CONSTITUTION SAYS IS THE FREEDOM TO ASSEMBLE AND THE FREEDOM TO SPEAK.

THEY'RE CALLING FOR THAT.

SO THIS TIME AROUND THE SUPPORT IS WORLDWIDE AND VERY, VERY LARGE.

THE VATICAN OF COURSE HAS ALSO SPOKEN TO THAT EFFECT.

>>THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CRITICISM FROM THE CUBAN ACTIVIST COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES ABOUT WHAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION... HOW IT'S RESPONDED.

SO I WANT TO ASK YOU, GIVEN THE HISTORY OF US INTERVENTION OR CUBAN POLICY, IS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CHARTING THE RIGHT COURSE OR WHAT SHOULD THEY BE DOING?

>>WELL, THIS IS TAKING EVERYBODY BY SURPRISE, BEGINNING WITH THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS AMAZING GIVEN THEIR ABILITY TO MONITOR AND SUPPRESS ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY DONE SOMETHING.

AND THAT IS THAT IT HAS NOT GONE BACK TO THE PRE-TRUMP SANCTIONS.

THE TRUMP ERA SANCTIONS ARE STILL IN PLACE, THE EMBARGO IS STILL IN PLACE.

SOME PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR THE END OF THE EMBARGO.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT.

WE MIGHT AS WELL GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.

BACK IN 2014, WHEN OBAMA AND RAUL CASTRO SPOKE, ACTUALLY 2015, THE UNITED STATES YIELDED IN MANY AREAS, CUBA DID NOT YIELD ONE INCH.

ONE OTHER AVENUE THAT IS BEING EXPLORED BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CUBANS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE TO SEND REMITTANCES SO THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS CAN HAVE MONEY FOR FOOD AND MEDICINE AND OTHER NECESSITIES.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA EITHER BECAUSE 40% OF WHATEVER GETS SENT FROM THE UNITED STATES TO CUBA IS KEPT BY THE STATE.

>>WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN OR SAW THE DIFFERENCE WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA HELPED WITH THAT TRANSITION THAT YOU WERE MENTIONING AND PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO OPEN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES [SPEAKING SPANISH] WHICH WERE LITTLE RESTAURANTS IN THEIR OWN HOUSES AND MAKE SOME MONEY TO ACTUALLY EAT.

SO YES, 40% OF THE GOVERNMENT, LIKE YOU SAID, RECEIVED THAT MONEY OR PART OF THAT MONEY, BUT PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY EATING AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY STARTING TO SEE THAT OR FEEL LIKE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET EMPOWERED.

WAS THAT NOT A REALITY OR DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WAS PART OF THE WHOLE PROBLEM THAT THEN LED TO WHAT'S HAPPENED NOW?

WELL THE [SPEAKING SPANISH] WHICH ARE PRIVATELY OWNED RESTAURANTS AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES, WHETHER IT'S A HAIR SALON OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS, A TAXI DRIVER, THOSE HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME, THEY DATE BACK TO THE OPENING OF THE ECONOMY BACK IN 1993, 1994.

THERE WAS SOME HOPE, YES, WHEN WE SAW THE FALL IN US-CUBA RELATIONS BEGINNING IN 2014, BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN ABUNDANCE IN CUBA IN TERMS OF THE DIET, IN TERMS OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, MEDICINES, ET CETERA, >>HOW HAS THE COVID PANDEMIC AFFECTED CUBA AND HAS IT CONTRIBUTED TO THESE DEMONSTRATIONS?

>>CUBA FOR A LONG TIME WAS A SUGAR ISLAND, THAT ENDED LARGELY BECAUSE IT WASN'T PROFITABLE.

YOU HAVE TO INVEST TOO MUCH TO PRODUCE SUGAR.

CUBA THEN TURNED INTO AN ECONOMY BASED ON MINING ON THE ONE HAND AND TOURISM ON THE OTHER.

SO TOURISM IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET FOR THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.

NOW WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE SEE THAT TOURISM HAS COME ALMOST TO A VIRTUAL STANDSTILL.

THAT OF COURSE HAS RAMIFICATIONS THAT INCOME IS NOT REACHING THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT, THEREFORE IT'S GETTING POORER AND POORER AND EVERYDAY LESS ABLE TO PROVIDE THE POPULATION WITH THEIR ESSENTIALS, FOOD, MEDICINE, ELECTRIC SERVICE AND THE LIKE.

>>WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THAT CHANGE THEY'RE ASKING?

THEY'RE ASKING FOR FREEDOM AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A CONFUSION OUT THERE BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT IT'S RELATED SPECIFICALLY AND ONLY TO THE COVID VACCINE AND TO THIS MOMENT, BUT WHAT THEY'RE YELLING AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS FOR THEIR FREEDOM.

SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN IF WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY US INVOLVEMENT, WHAT DOES IT TAKE FROM A POLITICAL VIEW?

>>YES.

WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE PROTESTS BEGAN IN NOVEMBER.

THE SAN ISIDRO MOVEMENT IS A MOVEMENT OF CUBAN ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS WHO HAVE VERY BRAVELY GONE OUT TO THE STREETS AND DEMANDED CHANGE.

MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN IN PRISON.

I LIKE TO SEE THAT AS SOMETHING COMMON IN HISTORY, ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS ARE USUALLY THE VANGUARD IN THESE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS.

NOW, WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY IS VERY DIFFERENT.

AND THE CUBAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE TO THE STREETS BY THE THOUSANDS RISKING PRISON, RISKING DEATH, SOME HAVE DIED ALREADY.

AT LEAST CUBA CONFIRMS ONE CASE.

WELL, THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT AND THEY'RE DEMANDING, THEY'RE DEMANDING POLITICAL CHANGE.

SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MATERIAL CONDITIONS, SUCH AS DIET AND MEDICAL CARE.

THEY'RE CALLING FAR MORE.

THEY'RE CALLING FOR THE END OF THE COMMUNIST REGIME, WHICH IS A ONE PARTY SYSTEM, THEY'RE CALLING FOR FREEDOM AND THEY'RE CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF THE CURRENT PRESIDENT, MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL WHO INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH HAS NO REVOLUTIONARY CREDENTIALS WHATSOEVER.

CASTRO BROTHERS AND OTHERS OF THAT FIRST GENERATION DO HAVE THOSE CREDENTIALS BUT IN THE CASE OF THE CURRENT PRESIDENT IT'S JUST A BUREAUCRATIC MANUFACTURE.

>>AT THE END OF THE SOVIET UNION OF COURSE, MIKHAIL GORBACHEV TRIED TO INTRODUCE A NUMBER OF REFORMS TO TRY TO KEEP THE ECONOMY HUMMING AND ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE AND ULTIMATELY THE PACE OF THOSE REFORMS WERE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM.

DO YOU SEE A LIKELY SCENARIO IN CUBA THE SAME WAY?

>>THERE WILL BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, THAT'S WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE UNITED STATES TO SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT.

THE LAST THING THE UNITED STATES WANTS IS A CHAOTIC SITUATION ON AN ISLAND THAT IS ONLY 90 MILES AWAY.

NOW WE NEED TO ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT DESPITE THE MANY RESTRICTIONS, CUBANS HAVE PROVEN TO BE VERY RESOURCEFUL AND VERY ENTREPRENEURIAL.

SO AS LONG AS THERE'S PEACE AND QUIET, I'M SURE THAT CUBANS WITH THE SUPPORT OF INVESTORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WILL BE ABLE TO LIFT THAT ECONOMY THAT HAS BEEN IN CRISIS SINCE AT LEAST THE 1990S.

>>DR.

LUIS MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US.

I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN VERY SOON ON GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

THERE'S LOTS GOING ON IN THE CARIBBEAN THESE DAYS.

>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INVITATION.

>>AND THANK YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.