Democratic Socialists Spar With Liberal to Moderate Democrats Over Cuba

The ideological struggle between Liberal to Moderate Democrats and the Democratic Socialists of the Democratic Party has taken shape as a result of the historic protests in Communist Cuba.

After the Black Lives Matter organization released a statement accusing the U.S. of trying to ‘destabilize’ the Cuban government and have been “undermining Cuban’s right to choose their own government," Democrats began to sound off against the controversial group, who refused to cast any blame on the Communist regime.

Both Republicans and Democrats denounced the statement, and now former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D) has rebuked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s recent statement where she condemns and blames the U.S. for the Cuban people’s suffering on the island.

“Last month, once again, the UN voted overwhelmingly to ask the United States to lift its embargo on Cuba. The embargo is absurdly cruel and, like many other US policies directed at Latin Americans, the cruelty is the point,” stated Rep. Ocasio-Cortez.” I strongly reject the Biden administration's defense of the embargo. It is never acceptable for us to use cruelty as a point of leverage against the people. "

Rep. Mucarsel-Powell responded by stating that the statement was “not correct” and that it was the “failed policies of a communist regime that has violated human rights, imprisoned & killed dissidents” before calling on the Biden administration to act on the Cuba issue.

“No. This is not correct. It’s the failed policies of a communist regime that has violated human rights, imprisoned & killed dissidents. Cuban ppl -young & old- are risking their lives to rise up, we must listen to them. This is a matter of national security. The US must act,” stated Mucarsel-Powell.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D) also came out swinging against Democratic Socialists in defense of the U.S. government, stating that the “Cubans lack freedom and economic opportunity” because of the Cuban regime and “not the U.S. government or U.S. Policy.

“Let’s be clear. People can have different opinions on the wisdom of the U.S. embargo toward Cuba. But the main reason Cubans lack freedom and economic opportunity is the Cuban regime, not the U.S. government or U.S. policy.”- Rep. Stephanie Murphy

Democrats continued to pile on against Progressives, with Manny Diaz, Chairman of the Florida Democratic Party also coming out to denounce statements coming from the Progressive wing of his political party.

“It’s completely, factually incorrect and it plays into the communist playbook that the U.S. is always a bogeyman,” Diaz said.

This current intraparty tug of war could spill into the 2022 midterm election and cost Democrats their majority in the House of Representatives, and result in them losing even more statewide senate and house seats.