The Cuban actor and comedian Ulises Toirac reacted on Wednesday to the student strike initiated by the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Havana, warning that any attempt at repression by the government would have an "unpayable" political cost.
For Toirac, the event shapes a "very interesting" scenario, while also representing a critical crossroads for power.
“Repression will have a political cost (very high in my opinion, I would say priceless); allowing it is a display of political weakness never before seen,” he wrote on his Facebook profile, and concluded: “There are things that can be anticipated if one has brains, but more than brains, there has been arrogance.”
The reactions to his publication reveal the level of social tension in light of an unprecedented event. Citizens, activists, and users committed to public education came out to support the students.
"It is the hour of fallen veils, where the blind can see the light," wrote Gleider González. Others, like Yunier Trujillo, warned of possible repressions: "They have already done it and they will do it again. Protect the young people within your reach."
Beyond the strike at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, several comments indicate that the protest is reportedly spreading to other faculties. At the same time, there are reports of reprisals by academic authorities.
"Messages are already being sent by professors and department heads at INSTEC (Higher Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences) making threats of expulsion, even though the students are in their final year," denounced Annette del Rey Roa.
For Yuniet Fernández Blanco, the university protest represents an unprecedented moment since 1959. “They cannot speak of counter-revolution, nor of crime, nor of those paid by the empire. These are university students, the best from their own schools,” he warned. The strategy of the students, who have chosen to strike from their homes, has also been seen as an act of intelligence to avoid provocations and criminalization.
While some, like filmmaker Juan Pin Vilar, call for immediate dialogue “at the Faculty of Mathematics to sit with them,” others already take for granted that there will be repression. “My mother wasn’t afraid of Ventura (Colonel Esteban Ventura Novo, during the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista), nor my grandmother... Of course they are going to repress,” the filmmaker stated in response to another user who reported threats from the faculty.
Recently, Toirac criticized the disconnection of the Cuban leadership from the reality of the country and denounced the systematic manipulation of the official discourse.
“If there is a crisis of that magnitude, which is not the consumer's fault but the company's own, then it should have started with: ‘I resign’,” concluded the humorist in a previous post as he dismantled, point by point, the speech of ETECSA's president, Tania Velázquez, after her televised appearance regarding the controversial price hike.
On the same topic, the actor joked about the collective reaction to the new connectivity rates, contrasting it with the silence regarding other essential shortages such as food or medicine.
The new tariff scheme from ETECSA, reminiscent of the neoliberal packages frequently criticized by the Cuban regime, is deemed abusive and discriminatory by the vast majority of the Cuban population and labeled as “a daylight robbery.”
The measure stipulates that, once the meager data package allowed for browsing in a month (only 6 GB) is exhausted, the customer will depend on top-ups in plans with very high prices in CUP and foreign currency, far beyond the reach of most citizens who receive their salaries in a severely devalued Cuban peso amid rampant inflation.
In the face of a measure viewed not only as an act of social exclusion but also as a form of economic blackmail, many dignified Cubans have chosen to
After the widespread public backlash, ETECSA attempted to quell the criticism with new measures announced on the government program Mesa Redonda last Monday night, offering 12 GB for 720 CUP and access to free educational sites for university students.
However, this Tuesday, in an official statement, the FEU and the UJC of the "José Antonio Echeverría" Technological University of Havana (CUJAE) condemned the new regulations and not only requested alternative solutions to those offered but also demanded more respect from ETECSA towards the people.
The wave of student discontent over such decisions led students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Computing at the University of Havana to call for an indefinite academic strike.
Frequently Asked Questions about the University Strike in Cuba and the Critique by Ulises Toirac
What is Ulises Toirac's stance on the university strike in Cuba?
Ulises Toirac warns that any repression of the strike will have an "unpayable" political cost. The comedian believes that suppressing student protests or allowing them would put the government in a critical predicament, and suggests that arrogance has prevailed over common sense in the decisions of those in power.
Why are the students of the University of Havana on strike?
The students of the University of Havana are on strike due to their dissatisfaction with the new ETECSA rates. This measure is seen as abusive and discriminatory, forcing students and other citizens to pay prices that exceed their economic capacity, which has led to a wave of protests among the student community.
What criticisms has Ulises Toirac expressed about ETECSA and its rates?
Ulises Toirac harshly criticizes ETECSA's rates, describing them as "armed robbery." He emphasizes that the measure of limiting access to the Internet in Cuban pesos and requiring payments in foreign currency is a form of social exclusion and economic blackmail. Toirac mocks the lack of purchasing power of Cubans and denounces that the Cuban peso "is not worth even the shell."
How has the Cuban community reacted to Ulises Toirac's criticisms?
The Cuban community has strongly supported Ulises Toirac's criticisms on social media. His posts have generated a significant amount of comments and support, reflecting the widespread discontent among the population regarding government policies and the restrictions imposed by ETECSA. The population uses social media to express their dissatisfaction and to organize around demands for change.
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