Pitbull Gets Emotional as He Calls for World Leaders to 'Step Up' amid Cuba Protests for 'Freedom'
Pitbull/Instagram
Pitbull is speaking up about the protests erupting across Cuba and Miami.
On Wednesday, the "Winning" musician, 40, shared an emotional video calling on world leaders, including Jeff Bezos, to advocate for change and freedom in Cuba as citizens of the Caribbean country protest what they say is the communist regime's mistreatment, including supply shortages and electricity outages.
"This is a message to the world. We need to stand up, step up. But if you don't understand what's going on, then you need to wake the f— up," Pitbull said. "Not only is this a Cuba event, this is a world event. This isn't about politics. This is about saving lives. This is about unity, not division. And bottom line, this is about taking action."
"Not only do we live for freedom, we ride for freedom, we die for freedom, but we motherf—ing appreciate freedom," he continued, explaining why he is "frustrated" by the reaction to the events in Cuba. "And it gets me hot, it bothers me and it frustrates me to a certain extent, being a Cuban American, and having a platform to speak to the world and not being able to help my own people, not being able to get them food, not being able to get them water, not being able to get the medicine. But most of all, not being able to help and really get them what they deserve, which is freedom."
The Cuban American superstar then called for "world allies" and people like Jeff Bezos (who is of Cuban descent) to come together to aid Cubans.
"He's somebody that can get involved and really help us. All we can do is create awareness, but politics are gonna be poli-tricks," he said. "And while they figure out what they figure out, we need to figure out how to really help. We need to get creative, we need to figure out solutions while they're losing their lives over there literally for something that we wake up every day and appreciate which is freedom."
"So to everybody out there, stand up, step up. And if you don't understand, get with the motherf—ing program and wake up," he ended his English speech. "This is about freedom and it's about human rights. And everybody in Cuba, keep the fight up."
On Wednesday, Cuba temporarily lifted restrictions on people to enter the Caribbean country to bring food, medicine and hygiene products, following days of protests from numerous people who took to the streets to protest shortages of basic goods, the way the government has handled COVID-19 vaccines and other issues. (Politicians have blamed U.S. sanctions, in part, while calling for national unity and acknowledging they will make some changes.)
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President Joe Biden recently shared a statement of support for the Cuban people.
"We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba's authoritarian regime," Biden said in a statement.
Other celebrities of Cuban descent have joined in speaking up for Cuba including Camila Cabello, Gloria Estefan and Lauren Jauregui, among others.
"There is a major crisis right now in Cuba and we need your help to spread awareness. Deaths from COVID are rising rapidly and because of the lack of medicine, resources, basic necessities and even, food many people are dying," Cabello wrote on Instagram. "Right now, there are simultaneous protests in more than 5 cities in Cuba. Our brave people took the streets to protest for this humanitarian crisis and the people of Cuba need our help urgently."
