Blunt but Envious: The Official Obsession with Punishing Others' Prosperity

In a snippet from the state-run program "Con Filo," which has recently gone viral, journalist Michel Torres Corona addresses a crucial issue: the prosperity of certain Cubans, particularly those connected to the emerging MIPYMES (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) on the island.

However, Torres avoids mentioning the prosperity that the Castro family, the high-ranking officials of the regime, and their children have always enjoyed. They travel the world and indulge in privileges since the "Revolution" began. He is not bothered by that prosperity. He does not criticize those who go shopping in Madrid or enjoy yachts in the Mediterranean. He is not scandalized by the children of regime officials living in mansions or studying abroad. What bothers him is the prosperity of those who earn their success through hard work, effort, and their own businesses. Those who travel at the expense of public funds, however, are not included in his criticism.

What is being marketed as a "battle against inequality" is nothing more than an attack on prosperity. Because let’s be clear, the issue is not inequality; the issue is widespread misery. And the solution is not to target those who manage to escape it, but to enable everyone else to aspire to the same.

Why can't Cubans dream?

The official discourse has sought to make us believe for decades that equality means we should all be equally poor. The message from Torres Corona, and other representatives of the regime, is based on the premise that the existence of prosperous Cubans (those who can buy a car or pay a high electricity bill) is a social injustice. But wouldn’t it be more logical to aspire for all Cubans to have the opportunity to achieve that level of prosperity?

The economy is not a finite pie. Wealth is not a treasure that, when someone takes a piece, others are left with less. Wealth is created and multiplied. An entrepreneur who opens a business is not taking anything from anyone. On the contrary, they are generating jobs, services, and products that did not exist before. When a Cuban imports a new car, that car did not come from the possessions of others; it came from their efforts and their ability to create value in a market.

The reasoning of Torres Corona and many other regime spokespersons only makes sense within the logic of communism: everything belongs to the state, therefore, anything that someone has "in excess" has been taken from others. However, in a world where individuals can thrive through their effort and ingenuity, this logic is false. One person's prosperity does not impoverish others; rather, it often creates a multiplier effect of opportunities for everyone.

True social justice does not mean that everyone has the same, but rather that everyone has the opportunity to choose their own path.

At its core, this discourse is nothing more than the same envy that has driven Castro's politics since 1959. First, the wealthy were targeted, then entrepreneurs, followed by small business owners, Catholics, homosexuals, those who listened to rock music, and those with long hair. Anyone who stood out, who was different, or who prospered above the average became an enemy. Now it is the turn of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs.

The message is clear: "If I can’t have it, you shouldn’t be able to either." This is the kind of mentality that has plunged Cuba into poverty. This struggle against prosperity, in the name of equality, not only fails to improve the lives of the less fortunate but also ensures that those who manage to stand out are dragged down into widespread misery.

However, there is another analysis we cannot overlook: It's true that among the current MIPYMES, there are many Cuban entrepreneurs who have invested their own money and effort, along with help from family members abroad, to start their businesses. However, it is also well-known that others are relatives, close friends, or mere frontmen for regime officials, who have taken advantage of their connections to establish prosperous companies in a short period. These latter businesses do not arise by chance but rather due to the regime's willingness to grant privileges to a select group of "controlled entrepreneurs."

They want Cubans to rely on them for everything: from food on the ration card to internet services, jobs, and business opportunities

This reality exposes an internal contradiction within the power structure. On one hand, there are those who see these SMEs as an opportunity to maintain a certain, albeit limited, economic openness, provided that the profits remain in the hands of the regime's associates and family members. On the other hand, there is a more dogmatic faction that is not even willing to accept this. For this second group, any sign of private prosperity, no matter how controlled, poses a threat to the narrative of "socialist equality."

The internal struggle between these two groups is evident in the discourse of programs like "Con Filo". Critics of MIPYMES, such as Michel Torres, often represent the more orthodox line, which views private wealth as a heresy. This faction not only opposes the prosperity of ordinary citizens but also questions the profits of the regime's "official partners," revealing a rift within the ruling elite. They do not target the vast fortunes of the Castro family or the children of the generals, but they do go after the frontmen and lesser allies, possibly as part of a power struggle for internal economic control.

The true root of the problem isn't inequality, but rather the lack of freedom. What should disturb us is that only a select group of friends can easily start businesses, while the rest of the Cubans cannot. All Cubans should be FREE to start businesses in any field, to do whatever they want with their lives. In a society where each person can act, think, and express themselves as they wish, the outcome is a diversity of lives. Some will prefer to live minimally, while others will strive to have more, whether for themselves or their families. But that decision must be free. True social justice doesn’t mean that everyone has the same; it means that everyone has the opportunity to choose their own path. Why can't Cubans dream?

The Cuban regime has never allowed this. They control the discourse, resources, education, and economy. They want Cubans to depend on them for everything: from the food rationing system to internet services, jobs, and business opportunities. Any sign of independence is punished with repression, confiscation, or public vilification.

The path lies not in the struggle against prosperity, but in the fight for freedom. Once we achieve it, we will all be more prosperous. At that moment, Michel Torres and his "Con Filo" will merely be a memory from the era of institutionalized misery.