Cuba’s repressive communist dictatorship relies on more than brute force to oppress its people. The Castros and their successors keep Cubans in line by controlling what information they can receive and transmit. That’s why, when demonstrations against shortages of food and other necessities began on March 17, the regime cut the state-provided internet to stop the protesters from coordinating online, and from sharing their videos worldwide.
This Draconian step suggests that the protests have rattled the regime. Cuba’s economic decline is becoming a death spiral. The hardships on the island may now be so acute that its inhabitants are willing to resort to drastic measures.
Given these circumstances, the internet cut-off might effectively hasten the nation’s decline, as it will not only isolate the protesters but all commerce in Cuba—to the regime’s own…
