Cuba: The Destruction of Hope

When Raúl Castro spoke in 2013 about a transition of power to a "new generation," many young Cubans, both on the island and abroad, held out hope against all odds that things would improve. However, now, two years after the leadership handover to Miguel Díaz-Canel, the Cuban people are facing one of the most challenging moments in the last 62 years.

This is not a temporary condition, but rather the result of decades of an authoritarian government and a disastrous economic management orchestrated by Fidel and Raúl Castro. And now, Díaz-Canel serves as their puppet in charge. Marxism does not work.

Instead of transforming Cuba into a country that serves its people, Díaz-Canel sought to consolidate power for himselfCommunist PartyReinforcing the well-known tactics used by the Castro brothers, Díaz-Canel further represses basic freedoms, incarcerates dissidents, endorses state-sanctioned killings, and has allowed existing poverty and malnutrition to worsen in society.

For younger Cubans, the authoritarian state's crackdown has an additional consequence: the destruction of hope. Díaz-Canel's recent moves to reinforce state control over the economy have led to a decline in living standards, further closing off opportunities for young Cubans who aspire to a better future. Now, the shock caused by the pandemic has resulted in an even deeper collapse on the island, as suppliers struggle to provide basic resources.

The Cuban economy has long depended on other dictators in our region. The disastrous policies of dictator Nicolás Maduro have left Venezuela's economy in ruins, and the Cuban people are also feeling the impact of that regime. The result has been an increase in food shortages, longer lines, and even higher prices than usual. Today, Cubans going to markets face challenges in finding basic food items and hygiene products on the shelves. Those who do manage to find these essentials have to pay exorbitant prices. It is a rapidly escalating disaster, especially for Cubans who lack personal connections with government officials or who rely on remittances from abroad.

The world largely overlooks the growing humanitarian crisis on the island, partly because communication with the outside remains difficult and, in some cases, is only getting worse. The regime has set mobile data prices to levels that are virtually unaffordable, leaving a large segment of the population without internet access. For those who can afford internet access, which remains heavily censored, independent news is prohibited, leading many to be unaware of the true extent of this scarcity.

The deepening economic crisis is causing the regime to launch attacks on foreign nations such as the United States and even on the very people it is supposed to protect. The regime's mismanagement of the economy clearly shows that its top priority is to maintain government control over the supply of food and other goods, regardless of the cost, even if it means allowing the population to starve in the process.

The public image is also important for these tyrants. The regime tries to falsely present to the world its respect for human rights. They have begun broadcasting trials of Cubans accused of theft, along with imposing heavy fines on independent journalists and social media figures who criticize the dictatorship. They have also launched a new digital surveillance agency to detect what they call "illicit economic activity." Recently, Díaz-Canel, like the Castro family before him, has intensified efforts by deploying rapid response brigades, police, and undercover civilians to intimidate and arrest anyone who poses a threat to their authoritarian government.

This is not a new Cuba. It remains the same Cuba under the Castro brothers, which means the people will continue to suffer. As the economy tightens around the Communist Party, its members are left only with the hope for a change in the U.S. administration. Díaz-Canel and Raúl Castro are counting on a victory for Joe Biden, hoping that a new administration will overlook the human rights violations and arbitrary detentions carried out by the regime.

They also hope that sanctions against Cuba's ruling elites will be eased. This would represent a significant shift from the Trump administration, whose commitment to ending years of impunity for the regime and imposing sanctions on Raúl Castro and his corrupt family has exerted the necessary pressure for democratic changes in the country and for prioritizing the long-suffering Cuban people.

La administración de Biden permitiría al Partido Comunista volver a llenar sus arcas y ayudaría a asegurar su supervivencia, aunque haría poco por el pueblo cubano que está luchando bajo el control autoritario del régimen. Pero como hemos visto durante décadas, los hermanos Castro y ahora el títere Díaz-Canel se preocupan poco por el pueblo de Cuba y solo por ellos mismos.