Cuba Protest – The World criticizes the US role: What you need to know

Police were out in force on Tuesday after the unrest across Cuba/BBC

· One man has died and more than 140 have been reported as missing or arrested during rare demonstrations against the communist government.

· The protests began on Sunday, over the food crisis, medicine shortage, price hikes and the government's inability to deal with the Covid-19 situation. Whereas the Cuban government blamed the US and its sanctions for both the protest and Cuba's wider problems.

· Russia, China and Iran had warned the US not to interfere in Cuba after the island was rocked by protests for which Joe Biden had expressed his support.

· Biden's remarks for protest delivered to the press Tuesday, criticized strongly by three powers and the foreign policy of Washington got criticized in other parts of the world.

· On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry had expressed its solidarity with the Cuban government and people and promised support to the efforts towards the normalization of the situation.

· China too backed Cuba's position and the Chinese Foreign Ministry told a press briefing "the US embargo is the root cause of Cuba's shortage of medicine and energy". Zhao also lashed out any outside interference in fellow communist-led Cuba.

· Another country that criticized the US role is Iran. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said, "The US is trying to appear as a supporter of the Cuban protests and has tried to interfere in the internal affairs of this country in a blatant violation of international rules." Iran condemned the US sanctions, which are an important factor in the economic hardship of the Cuban people.

· Joe Biden backed the demonstrations that took Cuba by storm on Sunday. He recognized the protests that are taking place in Cuba, with the Cuban people demanding their freedom from an authoritarian regime. He said, "we call on the Cuban government to refrain from violence or attempts to silence the voice of Cuban people."

· Secretary of State Antony Blinken also warned that “it would be a mistake of the Cuban regime to interpret what is happening in dozens of towns and cities across the island as a result or product of anything the United States has done".