The way to Cuba’s heart is through the internet

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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 detriment.

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Consider what happened during the 2019 Iranian demonstrations against the removal of government fuel subsidies. During "Bloody November," the regime in Tehran cut off the state-controlled National Internet Network for three days straight to shut it down. The tactic worked, but at significant cost to the Iranian economy. So, it is not a step to take lightly.

At that time, the United States didn’t have a ready means to restore internet service. Interest in satellite-based internet access emerged in the 1990s, and after some failed attempts, private entities such as SpaceX and Amazon began exploring options around 2014.

After the catastrophic 2017 hurricane season, these efforts gained steam – Google’s Project Loon provided internet access to 100,000 people