Trudeau changed course and condemned Cuba’s violent suppression Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the Cuban authorities for the first time on Thursday for using violence to suppress the protests that have erupted in the country in recent days. He also admitted for the first time that the protests were a political demand for freedom and democracy, not merely because of complaints about material shortages. “We are deeply concerned about the Cuban regime’s violent suppression of protests. We condemn the arrest and suppression of peaceful demonstrations by the authorities,” he said at a public event in Montreal. “As always, we stand with the Cuban people who desire democracy, freedom and respect.”