“The objective of the Education for Leaders in Civil Society of Cuba project, supported by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, is to enable participants to establish themselves in Cuba as professional resources for efforts to promote democracy and respect for human rights, and to open channels of communication and coordination of activities both throughout the island and internationally, ”the document says.
The project, as noted, will select from 25 to 40 Cubans aged 20 to 40 years, "showing interest" in creating a more democratic society.
The text of the grant states that program participants do not have to position themselves as dissidents, but they must advocate for the observance of human rights, the promotion of social integration and the expansion of non-governmental opportunities.
The candidates are planned to be trained in the skills necessary for the development of civil society in Cuba. In particular, the means of communication necessary to spread democratic principles, the ability to tell the audience about human rights and present the idea of building democracy.
It is assumed that the trainings will be held in countries where each participant will be able to obtain a visa to travel to.
The State Department expects that upon returning from training, young leaders will disseminate the knowledge gained in the country.
According to the points outlined in the document, the assistance provided by the United States to Cuba “aims to empower Cubans to freely determine their future by strengthening human potential, encouraging community involvement and expanding civil society groups.”
In 2019, it became known about Washington’s plans to provide humanitarian assistance to “political prisoners” in Cuba and to provide access to “uncensored information” about the lives of Cubans by supporting “independent journalists”.
From May 2020, Cuba began broadcasting RT channel in Spanish around the clock. An agreement to expand the work of RT in the republic was signed between the authorities of Russia and Cuba in 2018.