"Only Marines Dispatched to Protect Embassy"
"Under Review to Restore Internet in Cuba"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden expressed a negative stance on the deployment of troops to Haiti, stating that it is not currently a major agenda item. He drew a line by saying that only the Marines would be sent to secure the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, implying that he has no intention of directly intervening in the political instability in Haiti following the presidential assassination. Regarding Cuba, where large-scale anti-government protests have recently occurred, he announced that technical reviews would be conducted to restore the Cuban regime's internet blackout.
On the 15th (local time), during a joint press conference held after a summit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House, President Joe Biden was asked about the deployment of troops to Haiti. He stated, "The deployment of troops to Haiti is not a major agenda at this point," and added, "Only the Marines have been sent to protect the U.S. Embassy in Haiti." This was interpreted as indicating difficulty in accepting the Haitian government's request for troop deployment.
Earlier, on the 7th, Haitian President Jovenel Mo?se was assassinated at his residence. Haitian police arrested 26 Colombians and 2 Haitian-Americans for involvement in the assassination, but the masterminds remain unknown. The Haitian government, immediately after the incident, expressed concerns about additional terrorist attacks targeting ports, airports, fuel storage facilities, and other critical infrastructure, and requested the U.S. to dispatch troops. Subsequently, White House and Department of Defense spokespeople mentioned that the matter was under review, raising the possibility of U.S. military deployment.
President Biden showed a more proactive stance on the issue of anti-government protests in Cuba than on the Haiti troop deployment. Regarding the Cuban protests, President Biden said, "Communism is a failed system worldwide, and I do not see socialism as a useful alternative," and explained, "We are currently reviewing the technical capabilities to restore internet access in Cuba." Cuba has been experiencing intensified political instability due to large-scale anti-government protests on the 11th, the first in 27 years, and the authorities have blocked social networking services (SNS) and internet access to prevent the spread of protests.
On the 12th, President Biden also expressed support for the Cuban anti-government protests, stating, "The Cuban people are demanding freedom from a dictatorship," and urged the Cuban regime to refrain from attempts to suppress the protests or use violence.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
