Amid the growing public rejection of the rate hike imposed by the state-owned Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA), its president, Tania Velázquez, predicted a potential “widespread failure” of the national telecommunications system.
The warning was issued during the presidential podcast “From the Presidency”, which airs on state radio and television this Thursday and was announced as a “critical analysis” alongside the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel and the Deputy Minister of Communications, Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández, regarding the recent decisions made by ETECSA, which have sparked a wave of student protests and criticism even from traditionally pro-government sectors.
“Certain failures have been occurring in this infrastructure that are leading us down a path [...] where we foresee that there may be a widespread failure at some point,” said Velázquez.
According to the official, the consequences of this alleged failure would be “that we would be unable to make phone calls, that we would be unable to send messages, that we would not be able to reach our schools or workplaces […]”, she added, describing a scenario of nearly total collapse of the telecommunications system on the island.
The inclusion of this message in a media space carefully produced by the regime generates skepticism because it may be a manufactured narrative to legitimize the highly questioned measure.
The new data packages exceed 11,000 CUP, while reloads from the national currency have been limited to 360 CUP monthly. Simultaneously, ETECSA promotes packages in US dollars, accessible only with international cards or via the MiTransfer Wallet, deepening digital exclusion.
The podcast this Thursday, June 5, was promoted amid a indefinite academic strike led by university students, particularly from the University of Havana. The movement demands not only equitable connectivity for students but also real access for all Cubans.
The official response has been a call to “close ranks” against what the regime labels as a “media war” waged by “enemies of the system”. Students are even now calling for the resignation of the national president of the FEU, Ricardo Rodríguez González, accusing him of not representing student interests.
The program today is produced four days after Miguel Díaz-Canel broke his silence with a brief thread on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging popular dissatisfaction but without offering concrete solutions. “We have been attentive to the opinions, criticisms, and dissatisfaction of our people regarding the measures announced by ETECSA,” he wrote on June 1.
Frequently Asked Questions about the ETECSA Rate Hike and its Implications in Cuba
Why has ETECSA justified the rate hike in Cuba?
The president of ETECSA, Tania Velázquez, has argued that the rate increase is necessary to inject foreign currency into the company, which faces high indebtedness that hinders technology imports and the maintenance of services. The company has also lost more than 60% of its foreign revenue due to fraud in international recharges.
How do the new ETECSA rates affect Cubans?
The new rates limit top-ups in Cuban pesos (CUP) to 360 CUP per month, which forces many Cubans to use packages in dollars to have adequate access to the internet, which is unaffordable for a large portion of the population that does not receive remittances. This has been seen as a deepening of digital inequality.
What measures has ETECSA taken to address students' criticisms?
To mitigate student discontent, ETECSA has offered an additional package of 6 GB for 360 CUP to university students, allowing a total of 12 GB per month. Additionally, it has waived the access fee for more than 40 educational sites, although this has not stopped student protests.
What has been the Cuban government's response to the protests against ETECSA's price increase?
The Cuban government has called for "unity" against what it describes as a "media war" and has accused students of being manipulated by enemies of the system. It has not offered concrete solutions to the students' demands, who continue to insist on equitable connectivity and internet access for all Cubans.
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