This is CBS. I am the world. I'm John Batchett of the New World Report with Professor

Avinellis of the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. Cuba, it is a sad anniversary

July 11, 2021, protested by Cubans without food security, without adequate energy sources,

without promise of the future, many of their colleagues, friends, families already seeking

out of Cuba have already left two years ago. The government treated the protest with

disdain and violence. It is now two years later from Havana Reuters. Cuba accused the U.S.

government of bearing, quote, direct responsibility, end quote, for the protest that rocked the

Caribbean island two years ago. Said the Communist Party run grandma newspaper. There was no evidence

presented in this accusation, but we can believe it has some currency for the leadership not only

here, but overseas. Cuba is sustained by emotional sentimental support from parts of the old European

left. It is also sustained by the active presence of Russia, possibly more so into the future

because there is trade necessary for Cuba to get the energy it needs. And increasingly, Beijing,

we've reported on how Beijing is now looking to deploy military forces in addition to the

listening post that it has had some for some time. So, Professor, do I say correctly that this

allegation that the U.S. is responsible for the protests of two years ago is both far fetched

and useful to the propaganda overseas. Thank you.

Thank you, John. It's certainly predictable. And it goes to the fact that the second anniversary

of those protests calls attention to what brought the protests about and just some of the strategic

risks that the situation in Cuba represents for the United States and the region. And so,

part of the cause, in addition to the authoritarian government in Cuba and that frustration,

was the compounding effects that the COVID-19 virus and some of the other issues had

brought in terms of a few shortages, medicine shortages and other things. And so, in many ways,

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