The New York Times is facing backlash for equating a “freedom” call among Cuban protesters with “anti-government slogans” following its Sunday piece.
"Shouting ‘Freedom’ and other anti-government slogans, hundreds of Cubans took to the streets in cities around the country on Sunday to protest food and medicine shortages, in a remarkable eruption of discontent not seen in nearly 30 years," the newspaper said in a tweet, quoting the introduction to its article.
Readers were very surprised by the peculiar equation:
“Only New York Times commies think “freedom” is an “anti-government slogan,” said Dan Gainor, who is the Vice President of Free Speech America and Business.
Some were also quick to point out that America’s almost 60-year embargo has probably contributed to the protest mood in the Caribbean state.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Cuba in a rare move to denounce the government’s economic policies, handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, food and medical shortages and rising prices.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel responded to the unrest by saying that his government will “not let anti-revolutionary mercenaries who are beholden to the American empire to create instability.”
“There will be a revolutionary response," the president vowed.