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The Cuban singer Yotuel Romero launched a strong attack against the Cuban regime, harshly criticizing the economic model prioritized by the government since 1959.
In a message posted on his Facebook account, the artist noted that the only thing the revolution has truly built in over six decades has been hotels for tourists, while the people live in neglect.
The comment accompanies an image of the recently inaugurated Hotel Torre K-23, a 42-story skyscraper located on the central 23rd Street in El Vedado. It has generated criticism both for its urban impact and for its symbolism amid the economic crisis that Cuba is experiencing.
"The only thing that the Cuban revolution really built after '59 was hotels. Everything else—the promises of equality, prosperity, dignity—remained just speeches," he wrote.
Two realities separated by a street
In his post, Yotuel contrasted the opulence of the new hotel complexes with the extreme deterioration of housing and basic services in Cuba.
He used the Havana Malecón as an example, where "on one side, modern hotels like Paseo del Prado rise with shining glass and air conditioning; on the other, crumbling colonial buildings where entire families still live, sharing a single bathroom, cooking with firewood in the 21st century."
The artist, a former member of the group Orishas and one of the voices behind the song "Patria y Vida," also referenced his family history to illustrate the disillusionment of generations of Cubans.
"I remember when my grandmother used to tell me how, in the 60s, with hope in her eyes, she believed that her children would have a better life. But her hope aged with her as she watched the hospital where she gave birth have its roof collapse, and how the school where she taught was left without teachers and without chalk," she detailed.
A country for tourists, not for Cubans
Yotuel also listed several iconic hotels built by the regime in recent decades, such as the Meliá Cohiba, the Saratoga, and the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, questioning who these investments truly serve.
"Each brick of those hotels is a wound in the memory of the people. Because there is no nostalgia harsher than that of a country that could have been and that, instead, has become a showcase for outsiders and a prison for those within," he concluded.
The post has been widely shared on social media, generating reactions among Cubans both on the Island and abroad that align with its diagnosis.
Your message arrives at a time when the energy crisis, inflation, and the collapse of public services have deepened social unrest and led to massive emigration.
Yotuel, based in the United States, is one of the most active cultural figures in denouncing repression and the lack of freedoms in Cuba.
His activism has made him a frequent target of official attacks by the regime, which accuses him of being a "traitor" and a "mercenary," labels that the artist has repeatedly rejected.
Frequently asked questions about Yotuel's criticisms of the Cuban regime and Hotel Torre K-23
Why does Yotuel Romero criticize the Cuban regime?
Yotuel Romero criticizes the Cuban regime for prioritizing the construction of luxury hotels over the basic needs of the population. According to Yotuel, while the government invests in tourism, the Cuban people suffer from the deterioration of homes, hospitals, and essential services, which he considers a neglect of the social welfare promised by the revolution.
What does the Hotel Torre K-23 symbolize according to the reviews?
The Torre K-23 Hotel symbolizes for many the inequality and misplaced priorities of the Cuban government amid an economic crisis. The investment in this hotel contrasts sharply with the shortcomings faced by the people, such as the lack of adequate infrastructure, power outages, and shortages of food and basic services, which has led to widespread discontent.
How has the Hotel Torre K-23 been received by the Cubans?
The Torre K-23 Hotel has been met with criticism and ridicule from the Cuban people. Many view it as a "dagger in the landscape" of Havana, a structure that does not respect the traditional urban environment and contrasts with the unfulfilled needs of the population. It has been rebranded on social media with names like "The Lookout of Misery," reflecting public discontent.
What alternatives could have been funded with the budget of the Hotel Torre K-23?
With the 200 million dollars invested in the Hotel Torre K-23, projects such as a thermoelectric plant, general and children's hospitals, and dental and optical clinics could have been financed. These alternatives would have had a more significant social impact on the Cuban population by improving essential services that are currently in crisis.
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