'Communism is a failed ideology': Jen Psaki FINALLY condemns the Cuban regime's crackdown on its people as Ron DeSantis and Florida Democrats pile pressure on Biden

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday finally condemned communism as a 'failed ideology' as Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Democrats piled the pressure on President Joe Biden to do more to help the people of Cuba during their brutal lock down. 

'Communism is a failed ideology, and we certainly believe that it has failed the people of Cuba,' she said at her press briefing. 'They deserve freedom.'

The White House had given a more measured response to the protests that took place over food shortages and power outages. Psaki originally refused to condemn the communist regime amid the state crackdown on demonstrations and instead blamed 'government mismanagement'.

Psaki also defended critics who say Biden hasn't done enough on the issue, saying 'he is certainly advocating for and speaking out as we put out a statement, multiple statements.'

'He has made clear that he stands with the Cuban people and their call for freedom from both the pandemic and from decades of repression and economic suffering to which they've been subjected by Cuba's authoritarian regime,' she added. 

DeSantis, who is seen as a top contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024 should he run, weighed in, sending Biden a letter on Wednesday asking him for federal assistance to provide Internet access to the people of Cuba.

And Florida Democrats want Biden to come to Miami to give a pro-democracy and human rights speech that would address the situation in Cuba but could also tie in Haiti. 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki finally condemned communism as a 'failed ideology'

Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a possible presidential candidate, asked Biden for federal assistance to provide Internet access to the people of Cuba

Florida Democrats want President Joe Biden to come to Miami to give a pro-democracy and human rights speech

A part of the Florida Democrats' concerns is that Biden is missing an opportunity to court the crucial Hispanic vote, which Biden dramatically under performed with in Florida during the 2020 election.

The Cuban vote is particularly powerful in that swing state. Donald Trump won Florida's Cuban vote 56% to Biden's 41% in last year's election, which helped the former president carry the state. 

Biden issued a statement after the protests, supporting people's right to demonstrate and acknowledging their desire to be free from the 'authoritarian regime.'

But Florida Democrats wanted more.

'I really believe this is one of those moments, I put it up with the moment of 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall' because I do believe we can give the hope to the people in Cuba,' Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo told the Miami Herald. 'It's really about the people in Cuba who need to hear it. The words of the president of the U.S., be it Republican or Democrat, should matter.'

Some Democrats worried Biden was taking the lead of liberals and being too cautious in his statements. While progressives, like Sen. Bernie Sanders, expressed support for the protests, they said nothing about totalitarian government.

'All people have the right to protest and to live in a democratic society. I call on the Cuban government to respect opposition rights and refrain from violence. It’s also long past time to end the unilateral U.S. embargo on Cuba, which has only hurt, not helped, the Cuban people,' wrote Sanders on Twitter. 

Republicans, in contrast, have taken a much tougher stance on the Cuban government.  

Miami-Dade Democratic Party chairman Steve Simeonidis issued a warning on DeSantis, who is seeking a second term in the gubernatorial campaign in next year's election. 

'The fact that Ron DeSantis is pretending to lead on this issue while completely making it partisan shows that this is a political game he's playing ahead of his reelection campaign,' Simeonidis said. 'I don't think there's anything that Joe Biden could do on any issue that would receive any praise from South Florida Republican elected officials.'

In his letter to Biden, DeSantis noted: 'The Cuban people have lost their ability to communicate with one another, and many Floridians born in Cuba have no information on the safety of their loved ones. Equally as important, the world has also lost the ability to see what is happening on the ground as the Cuban people rise in support of freedom.'

He called on Biden to provide the necessary authorizations and funding to help boost Internet access on the island. 

Psaki acknowledged on Thursday that it 'is a huge issue in Cuba and one that is very challenging for the people of Cuba so they can gain access to accurate information they can correspond with family members and others.'

'We are certainly looking at that to see what can be done to address, but in terms of that specific proposal I don't have an assessment of that,' she added. 

People protest to show support for Cubans demonstrating against their government in Miami

Gov. Ron DeSantis' letter to President Joe Biden on the situation in Cuba

In the protests, many Cubans expressed anger over long lines and shortages of food and medicines, as well as repeated electricity outages. But there were also calls for political change in a country governed by the Communist Party for some six decades.

Police arrested dozens of protesters, sometimes violently, and the government has accused protesters of looting and vandalizing shops. Smaller protests continued Monday and officials reported at least one death. No incidents were reported Wednesday.