Cubans Take to the Streets

<p><i>This episode contains strong language.</i></p><p>It was a surprise to many recently when protesters took to the streets in a small town near Havana to express their grievances with Cuba’s authoritarian government. Cubans do not protest in huge numbers.</p><p>Even more remarkable: The protests spread across the island.</p><p>Why are Cubans protesting, and what happens next?</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/ernesto-londono?smid=pc-thedaily">Ernesto Londoño</a>, the Brazil bureau chief for The New York Times, covering the southern cone of South America. </p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/signup/NTTD?smid=pc-thedaily">Sign up here</a> to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Thousands of Cubans have taken to the streets in cities around their country to protest food and medicine shortages, in a<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/11/world/americas/cuba-crisis-protests.html"> remarkable eruption of discontent</a> not seen in nearly 30 years.</li><li>Security forces arrested dozens of protesters after a wave of demonstrations on Sunday. But dissidents expressed hope<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/13/world/americas/cuba-protest-arrests.html"> the protests would lead to lasting change</a>.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>