The University Student Federation (FEU) from various faculties of the University of Havana and the Higher Institute of International Relations (ISRI) issued a joint statement this Saturday, where they openly rejected the new rates announced the day before by the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA).
In an unusually critical stance for an organization aligned with the government since the triumph of the so-called "revolution," students denounced that the so-called "tarifazo" of ETECSA restricts the fundamental right to information, education, and communication, which are essential pillars for their academic development.
According to the statement released on social media, the new measures —which limit recharges in national currency to only 360 CUP every 30 days and force individuals to pay exorbitant prices for additional packages— pose a direct obstacle to fulfilling their educational and professional responsibilities.
"The increase in the cost of data top-ups beyond 6GB presents an obstacle that hinders the fulfillment of our educational and professional responsibilities," stated the text published on social media by the FEU of the Faculty of Communication (FCOM) at UH, and also signed by student representatives from the faculties of Chemistry, Philosophy and History, Mathematics and Computing, InSTEC, and the Higher Institute of International Relations (ISRI).
The discomfort has arisen from the new pricing scheme that, in practice, has dollarized the main mobile data services. With an average salary of around 4,000 CUP, students and professionals find themselves now forced to pay more than 3,000 CUP for just 3 additional GB of data — or resort to plans priced in dollars that are unreachable for those not receiving remittances.
The wave of outrage provoked by these measures has been steadily growing. What began with thousands of critical comments on social media and official sites has transformed into a flood of reactions from various social sectors. This statement from the FEU, however, carries special symbolic significance as it comes from the very heart of the country's youth institutional framework.
The statement emphasized the students' willingness to maintain dialogue with the relevant authorities but demanded an urgent review of the measures and the exploration of alternatives that take into account the economic realities of the most vulnerable sectors, such as the student body.
“We reaffirm our commitment to defending free and equitable access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT),” the message added. “These provisions are detrimental to the overall development of youth and society as a whole.”
In their conclusion, the students reiterated their intention to continue working towards recognizing and guaranteeing internet access in Cuba as a universal right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it in foreign currency or turn to the informal market.
This statement comes just hours after the broadcast of a Mesa Redonda where ETECSA executives defended the measures as necessary to sustain the country’s technological infrastructure. However, the official response has not managed to quell the discontent.
The statement from the FEU represents a political challenge that highlights the fracture between the official narrative and the everyday experience of a highly connected youth, dependent on internet access for studying, researching, staying informed, and maintaining family connections. All of this occurs in a country facing one of its worst moments of energy, food, and migration crises.
The official silence in response to this public student rejection could signal a turning point in the type of responses that ETECSA —and the State itself— will need to provide... if it aims to maintain more than just technical coverage over the Cuban youth.
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