The Cuban regime relies on empty promises, warns Priest Alberto Reyes

Alberto Reyes Pías, a priest of the Archdiocese of Camagüey, strongly criticized the emotional manipulation and the "control through hope" practiced by the Cuban government to maintain its power for more than sixty years.

In a reflection published on Facebook, Father Reyes criticized the regime's systematic strategy to keep the people oppressed: promising without delivering, feeding false hopes, and indefinitely delaying any real improvement in daily life.

"What has Cuba been since the days of Sierra Maestra?" he asks. His answer is devastating: Only promises. From the dream of being a "medical powerhouse" to that of becoming "the most cultured people in the world," it has all been an endless chain of unfulfilled commitments that have only served to contain discontent and prevent the citizens from taking control of their destiny.

The priest denounced the way authorities respond to people's protests: with gentle speeches, without concrete solutions, but repeatedly asserting that everything will be resolved. "While they promise - and have been promising for over 65 years - life goes on, misery consumes us, people are dying, and the wait is handed down to the next generation."

For Reyes, the time has come for Cubans to stop waiting passively for changes that will never come from those in power. "We have only two paths: either we continue waiting for a promise that will never arrive, or we start doing what we can, accepting the costs of freedom," he concludes.

With this message, the parish priest reaffirms himself as one of the most critical ecclesiastical voices in Cuba, calling for action and personal responsibility in the face of a dictatorship that has maintained itself through emotional manipulation and systematic repression.

Next, CiberCuba shares the full text of the publication:

I have been thinking… (113) by Alberto Reyes Pías

I have been thinking about an ancient Chinese strategy

In the historical novel 'China' by Edward Rutherfurd, one of the characters sees an ancient building constructed by Christian missionaries.

They had arrived at the imperial court trying to win the emperor's favor, so that the doors would be opened to Christian evangelization. They failed, and our protagonist asks his companion how they managed to 'get rid' of them.

The response was unexpected:

- We gave them hope.

- And then?

- We continue to give them hope.

A hope that never materialized, yet somehow led those who were hopeful to attempt nothing else, while simultaneously encouraging them to give their best to ensure that future promise.

Reading this anecdote, my neurons immediately connected to what we have lived and continue to live as a people. What has Cuba been since the days of the Sierra Maestra? Promises, promises, promises: we will have a better life, we will be the beacon and guide of America, we will position ourselves among the world's leading economies, we will become a medical powerhouse, the most educated and well-prepared people in the world… promises, promises, promises…

What happens every time this town rises up to protest and confront public officials? The 'snake charmers' appear, who, with soft voices and measured manners, try to 'make the angry population understand,' and since they have no solutions, they promise that everything will be resolved, that people can return home safely, that the Revolution will address their demands… promises, promises, promises…

What have they told us and continue to tell us when we are fed up with so many power outages, so much life in darkness, so much unbearable heat? That it will be resolved soon, that oil is on its way, that the thermoelectric plants will be repaired, that we just need to be patient because we will find a solution: promises, promises, promises…

And while they promise - and have been promising for over 65 years - life goes on, misery consumes us, people are dying, and the wait is passed on to the next generation.

What did the missionaries do in China when they realized they could not expect anything from the emperor? They went to the towns, to the homes, to the people, to talk to them about Christ, one by one, family by family... and faith began its journey throughout China.

It is true that we do not have clear formulas for breaking the bars of this Caribbean prison, but there is one thing we must be clear about: we should not expect anything from those who have never done anything to improve the lives of this people, because time has shown that they are experts in offering hope, and when our hope runs out, they come and give us more hope—nothing more, nothing less.

Did the emperor do anything against the missionaries and Christians? Yes, he persecuted them, imprisoned them, and killed them with terrible tortures. But the Christian faith remains alive today in China.

Will this government do something against the people when the people show that they no longer believe in their promises and want to do something to seek their own freedom? They already do, they have already done it; they repress, they imprison, they exile.

But we only have two paths: either we continue waiting for a promise that will never come, or we start doing what we can, accepting the costs of freedom".

Frequently Asked Questions about Priest Alberto Reyes' Criticisms of the Cuban Regime