Spanish – Cuba imprisoned and detained hundreds of activists to clear any signs of discontent from the streets of Havana ahead of the visit of European Union diplomats. Although Cuba has constantly perpetuated abuse against the civilian population, the European Union moved forward with its agenda.

“Cuba is a crucial partner for us because it can serve as a bridge between the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean,” the E.U. said.

The country to which the E.U. refers to as a bridge is one from which more than two million people have escaped, and of them, about 83,000 have died due to drowning coastal guard pressure hose and/or devoured by sharks.

The European Union paradoxically wants Cuba to be a bridge between countries when in reality, Cuba at has a single political party; it censors all art unless it has state-approval; there is no freedom of expression.

Europe fosters poverty in the region, not prosperity

Thus it was exposed that an ideological compass guides this political-economic bloc. In contrast, just a few days ago, the nations of Europe – one by one – disassociated themselves from Brazil because of the fires in the Amazon forest and questioned the ratification of the European Union’s agreement with Mercosur, the bloc of South American countries.

Brazil is bigger than all of Europe, thus presenting a fierce competition for European markets, especially in the agricultural sector.

On the other hand, Cuba is unproductive, and Europe can reap the fruits of its investments in that country without any reprisal.

Under the pretext of protecting the “lung of the planet,” several world leaders, especially the president of France, attacked the Jair Bolsonaro administration for its management of the Amazon fire.

“I strongly condemn all those who carry out policies that lead to deforestation,” exclaimed President Emmanuel Macron.

However, when the European Union had the opportunity to question the dictatorship that has plagued Cuba, its inhabitants, flora and fauna for more than 60 years, the E.U. not only kept silent but applauded the regime.

In 2016 alone, Spain canceled Cuba’s debt of 1,492 million euros, including interest. After allowing the regime to save that money, Spain pledged to invest 375 million euros in financing economic and social development projects with the participation of Spanish companies.

Later, in 2018, Spain condoned wrote off another payment of 300 million euros to the Cuban regime from the private sector for infrastructure. Pedro Sanchez, president of Spain and head of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, personally managed the deal.

Recibí a la Alta Representante de la Unión Europea para Asuntos Exteriores y Política de Seguridad. Las relaciones de #Cuba con la Unión Europea se profundizan. #SomosCuba #SomosContinuidad https://t.co/DuqkE4TDQe Via @Granma_Digital — Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) September 10, 2019

It is in Spain’s interest to invest in the island since the luxury hotel chains in Cuba, which are not accessible to Cubans who earn an average of 42 USD per month and 16 USD at minimum wage are mostly of Spanish origin.

Thus, the hotel industry, and dollar remittances sent by those in exile who could soon demand what is theirs, sustain the Castro regime, which keeps the people poor and the hierarchs rich.

Europe exploits the expropriation suffered by Cubans

Today, the European Union is confronting the United States, whom it blames for the “blockade,” which is actually an embargo. As a result, the U.S. enacted the Helms-Burton Act, which allows the indictment and seizure of those who took advantage of and enriched themselves at the expense of the monopolistic policies of the Castro regime.

Because when the Castro brothers took power in 1959, they expropriated 300 U.S. companies and all the assets of those in exile, which includes the property of any Cuban who has been detained for more than six months.

The law put in place by the Trump administration allows U.S. citizens, including naturalized Cubans, to sue individuals and businesses who take advantage of their assets, including docks and ports.

“E.U. defends interests of organizations and companies in Cuba.”

According to German press reports, the “E.U. defends the interests of organizations and companies in Cuba.”

Thus, the E.U. values the interests, property, and sacrifice of the Cubans who risked their lives to escape the island below the profit that the European organizations and businesses can make.

Ironically, the defenders of socialism, and therefore of the Cuban regime, criticize free-market capitalism because they allege that it puts capital above the human being.

Nevertheless, the regime’s allies demonstrate that their economic interests are above the life, property, and freedom of Cubans. Since the tourism industry in Cuba is run by the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the euros that enter Cuba finance the repression.

The same armed forces cleared the streets of Havana of protestors, detained them without releasing their whereabouts to shut down their voices during the visit of European diplomats.