MIAMI, United States. – Florida Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings and House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Chairman William R. Keating announced draft legislation to support internet freedom in non-democratic countries, including Cuba, Venezuela and Belarus, among others.
“This initiative will help people in authoritarian regimes to bypass censorship, communicate securely with loved ones, share information, support protesters, and succeed in the fight for freedom,” it reads. the notice published by Demings and Keating this Friday.
Likewise, both politicians recognized that “the internet is a fundamental tool for families and democratic movements around the world that work to survive and resist under authoritarian regimes. Our new legislation will provide surge capacity funding for internet freedom technology, empowering democratic movements and resisting rising global authoritarianism.”
They also recalled that “around the world, from Cuba to Belarus, authoritarian leaders have restricted access to the internet, especially during elections or protests.”
“Technology funded under this initiative allows users free access to social media and other messaging services, even during government-controlled internet blackouts. This is a concrete response against the censorship technology that Russia and the Chinese Communist Party are selling to other autocrats. From Cuba to Venezuela, from Belarus to Russia, this initiative will support ordinary people in their fight for freedom,” they noted.
In unveiling her bill, the Democratic congresswoman from Orlando asked President Joe Biden to help boost internet access in Cuba.
After the protests on the island, which occurred in July 2021, Demings celebrated the sanctions imposed on the regime by the Biden administration and called for action to support the Cuban protesters.
This is not the first time that US politicians have asked Biden to help Cubans connect to the internet.
In November 2021, Cuban-American congresswoman María Elvira Salazar asked “once again” the United States government to provide internet to Cubans, especially after the resurgence of repression by the Miguel Díaz-Canel regime.
In August of the same year, Salazar also introduced Operation Starfalla plan to provide internet to citizens subjected to totalitarian regimes.
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