A new feature on this blog will be a weekly editorial, highlighting the most interesting cartoons and cartoon-related news of the week. I aim to publish an editorial every Friday. Since we have just gotten back from summer break, this first one is published today.

We might have taken a summer break, but the news certainly hasn’t. Looking through our newsroom is always an interesting way to catch up with what happened in the world, and the first thing I noticed were the many cartoons that deal with the protests in Cuba. When cartoonists draw about protests, they usually support the protesters and denouncing police brutality. But here, we can see two distinct positions taken by cartoons.

These three cartoons, by Arcadio Esquivel, Spanish cartoonist Elchicotriste and Elihu Duayer from Brazil clearly take the position that the Cuban people have taken to the streets with a legitimate call for freedom.

Cartoon by Arcadio Esquivel.

Cartoon by Elihu Duayer.

Cartoon by Elchicotriste.

The Cuban government has defended their crackdown on the protesters by saying the protests were instigated by the United States. Cuban cartoonists Yoemnis DelToro and OSVAL agree with this, and they get support from abroad, for example from Mexican cartoonist Antonio Rodriguez.

Cartoon by Yoemnis DelToro.

Cartoon by OSVAL.

Cartoon by Antonio Rodriguez.

As for my opinion, I think blaming a foreign influence is a tactic frequently employed by dictatorships (although I also think the Rodriguez cartoon eloquently highlights the hypocrisy of American freedom). And it is interesting to see how a large part of our Cuban cartoonists has remained silent on the subject (except for a generic statement like this), probably because they know they risk arrest if they come out an support the protests with their cartoons.

That’s it for this first editorial. If you have any suggestions or comments, leave them in the comment section below or send an email. For other news, check out our latest newsletter that came out today.

Tjeerd Royaards
Cartoon Movement editor

Cartoon by Dino

We are taking a break for the summer. We'll occasionally post something during this period, but it will be more quiet on our website and social media channels than usual. On August 2, we'll be back (and hopefully well-rested) with more cartoons, comics journalism and other projects!

Mouad Amentague is a digital artist from Morocco. Check out his Instagram account to see more of his work.

Join us tonight (July 6) on Instagram at 6PM CEST for episode 4 of Cartoonist 2 Cartoonist, where CM editors discuss cartoons you submitted to us and give constructive feedback.

 Pride

Nituparna Rajbongshi is a journalist and cartoonist from India. Check out his website to see more of his work.