Allies of the brave freedom fighters who've taken to the streets of cities across Cuba in protest against the communist government painted "CUBA LIBRE" — which translates to "free Cuba" — on the street in front of the country's embassy in Washington, D.C. last week.
The display of support for those standing up to the regime, however, didn't last long, as D.C. authorities acted quickly to remove the painted letters from the street.
'Cuba Libre' has now painted in front of the Cuban embassy in Washington DC. ?? (Rueters/Kevin Fogarty) #CubaLibre pic.twitter.com/X9k2zAD7X6
— JOSH NAVARRO (@JoshNavarroTV) July 16, 2021
"D.C. Department of Public Works crews arrived outside the embassy Friday afternoon to remove 'the unauthorized painting,' according to spokesperson Erica Cunningham," The Washington Post reported.
This quick response from the powers that be in D.C. is surprising, following its slow response to weeks of presumably "unauthorized" rioting last summer that saw building facades shattered, churches burned, and blocks of buildings vandalized. The reaction from D.C. authorities to the violence was... to dedicate two city blocks leading to the White House to the cause and paint "BLACK LIVES MATTER" on the street.
Yet when a show of support for the Cuban people is presented, D.C. authorities quickly remove it. Cuban officials in the D.C. embassy, predictably, praised D.C. for covering up the pro-freedom display.
"Despite the systematic policy of confrontation and aggression of the United States government against Cuba, the American diplomats who work in the US Embassy in Havana have always been safe and have never been the object of attacks, or other manifestations of hatred," they told the Post, adding "the Cuban Government expects the same behavior on the US side."
It's unsurprising that regime officials stationed at the embassy in D.C. would see calls for a free Cuba as "manifestations of hatred," and unfortunately it's becoming unsurprising that authorities in our nation's capital would give preferential treatment to an admittedly Marxist organization and act in line with the desire of Cuba's communist regime.
American staff at our embassy in Havana were, of course, subject to a sustained attack that caused symptoms including hearing loss, nausea, loss of balance, brain swelling, severe headaches, and even mild traumatic brain injury, leading the Trump administration to make staff cuts there permanent.