The visit of the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, to Florida International University (FIU) in Miami sparked a wave of reactions in Spain following a brief encounter with a Cuban cleaning worker who approached the Madrid politician to express her admiration and to deliver a direct criticism of the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, while also warning that she was in the U.S. because of communism.
After the video went viral on social media, the PSOE of Madrid, led by Óscar López in the Spanish capital, responded with a post on X in which the party attempted to show off the retirement and healthcare systems in Spain.
However, the response became a political boomerang.
“In this country, we work so that older women can retire with dignity and do not fear getting sick and being unable to afford it. We are not Miami, we are Madrid”, they wrote, trying to stand their ground.
Immediately, dozens of internet users criticized what many deemed as the arrogant tone of the response, recalling the reform by Zapatero that delayed the retirement age from 65 to 67 in Spain, and above all, criticized that the video released by the PSOE omitted the moment when the Cuban asked when they would remove Pedro Sánchez from power.
Reactions on social media
The PSOE's response had the opposite effect than intended, provoking a torrent of criticism from citizens who saw those statements as a display of arrogance, hypocrisy, and disconnection from the social reality of the Iberian nation.
One of the central points of criticism was the socialist reform of 2011 that raised the retirement age.
"You were the ones who raised the retirement age to 67"; "You expanded the retirement age, stop lying"; "A woman at 30 today won't receive a pension because you've spent it on frivolous projects"; "The PSOE reform has condemned today's youth to never retire" and "Pure hypocrisy: they talk about dignity, yet they delayed retirement and cut pensions," were some comments made in that regard.
Other internet users noticed Cuba as a symbol of political failure, economic repression, and forced emigration.
Some commentators use the figure of a Cuban woman as an example of someone who has fled a communist regime, characterized by corruption, lack of freedoms, and a precarious economy that forces people to send remittances from abroad.
"He's still working because he has to send money to Cuba… that leftist dictatorship that you all praise," warned a commentator.
Furthermore, some accused certain political actors of wanting to turn Spain into a replica of the Cuban system, expressing a latent fear of an authoritarian or impoverishing drift.
"You are working to turn us into the country that woman fled from, you son of a b****!" asserted another.
“Why do you cut out the best part?”; “You omit the moment when the woman asks about Pedro Sánchez; that is called manipulation”;
“You censor what makes you uncomfortable to maintain the narrative”; “You needed to show the phrase ‘I am here for communism,’ but that doesn’t suit you”; “Manipulators, you erased exactly what exposes you”; “If you cannot debate the truth, at least don’t lie by omission,” criticized those who emphasized that the PSOE censored the part where the Cuban woman asked Ayuso when they would remove Pedro Sánchez from power.
Finally, other internet users expressed a more visceral or sarcastic tone in their responses, pointing out the general discredit of the political class and the lack of self-criticism:
"You are pathetic, manipulative, and profoundly ridiculous"; "The left no longer represents the workers, it represents the narrative"; "Every time you speak, the right rises"; "You live in an ideological bubble, not in real Madrid"; "Stop lying to the people, you can live with dignity in Miami too"; "A bunch of miserable people, whether in Miami or Madrid, it doesn't matter"; "With comments like this, you are going to disappear from the polls."
The complete scene in Miami: Spontaneous emotion and political critique
The complete scene in Miami showed Ayuso touring the university facilities when a Cuban worker named "Norma" recognized her, approached her, and sweetly asked if she had eaten yet, referencing a well-known phrase from Pedro Sánchez.
Amid laughter, Ayuso replied, “I haven't eaten, and look at what time it is! Can you believe it? This life can't be like this.”
Immediately, the woman, visibly emotional, told her that she had been following her for some time, interested in Spanish politics, and posed the question that was omitted in the video shared by the PSOE: “When are we going to be rid of Pedro Sánchez?”.
To which the president responded, "We're working on it."
Norma concluded by sharing her story: “I am here because of communism”; and specified that she arrived in Miami at the age of 54, starting from scratch and fleeing the Cuban regime.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Controversy between the Madrid PSOE and Isabel Díaz Ayuso in Miami
Why did the meeting between Isabel Díaz Ayuso and the Cuban worker in Miami cause controversy?
The meeting sparked controversy because the Cuban worker expressed admiration for Ayuso and criticized the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez. The video of the meeting was shared on social media, omitting the part where the worker inquired about Sánchez's exit, which led to criticism of the PSOE for manipulating the content.
How did the Madrid PSOE react to the meeting in Miami?
The PSOE of Madrid responded on social media by emphasizing retirement and healthcare in Spain, but their response was criticized for being seen as arrogant and disconnected from social reality. Additionally, they were called out for omitting the Cuban worker's comment about Pedro Sánchez in the video.
What criticisms did the PSOE receive for its response to Ayuso's video?
The PSOE was criticized for hypocrisy and manipulation, as well as for being disconnected from the reality of the citizens. The criticisms also focused on the 2011 reform that raised the retirement age and on the omission of any comment about Pedro Sánchez in the video.
What was Isabel Díaz Ayuso's response to the Cuban worker in the video?
Isabel Díaz Ayuso responded to the Cuban worker that "we are working on it" when she asked about Pedro Sánchez leaving power. This exchange took place in a context of admiration from the worker towards Ayuso and criticism of the current Spanish government.
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