President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Cuba is a "failed state" and called communism a "failed system" as protests play out against the Caribbean nation's repressive regime.

During a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Biden said that the United States is looking into ways to possibly reinstate access to the internet in Cuba but indicated that the US is not considering reestablishing US to Cuba remittances -- the practice of Americans transferring money to their Cuban relatives -- over concerns that the regime would confiscate the funds.

"Cuba is unfortunately a failed state and repressing their citizens. There are a number of things that we would consider doing to help the people of Cuba, but it would require a different circumstance or a guarantee that they would not be taken advantage of by the government," Biden said. "For example, the ability to send remittances back to Cuba. We would not do that now because the fact is it's highly likely the regime would confiscate those remittances or big chunks of it."

Thousands of Cubans took to the streets across the island nation last weekend to protest chronic shortages of basic goods, curbs on civil liberties and the government's handling of a worsening coronavirus outbreak, marking the most significant unrest in decades.

Since Biden's arrival in office, Cuba policies have remained in review.

Under the Obama administration, Cuba oversaw the reopening of embassies and relaxing of many restrictions long in place since the embargo. But the Trump administration enacted some of the toughest economic measures against Cuba in decades, reinstated travel restrictions and -- before leaving office -- named Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism.

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