The prominent Cuban lyrical singer Ulises Aquino Guerra has once again raised his voice with strength, criticizing the prevailing system in Cuba and drawing a clear distinction between what the Cuban revolution was and the direction taken by its later leaders.
"The Revolution was not a failure. The failure was the economic and social system imposed with the approval of the majority of Cubans," he declared on his Facebook profile.
In his text, Aquino defended the original spirit of the 1959 Revolution as a historic moment of hope and collective participation, recalling how even sectors of the bourgeoisie joined the fight to overthrow Batista's dictatorship.
However, he clarified: the revolutionary project was betrayed by those who managed it from positions of power.
The artist, one of the most respected figures in Cuban lyric singing, denounced the imposition of a failed economic and social system, where there was a massive renouncement of fundamental rights under the promise of a better future that never arrived.
"The enemy blockade [...] has been the perfect excuse to justify what is real and what is not," he harshly pointed out, questioning the official narrative that uses the U.S. embargo as the sole cause of Cuba's collapse.
For Aquino, founder of the community project Ópera de la Calle, true failure is expressed in misery, uprooting, and the imposed silence of a citizenship that no longer feels represented.
"The Cuban people know that they are not represented today, that others speak and discourse in their name, yet their voice is drowned in a rampant misery that prevents them from living. Yes, living," he denounced.
The interpreter went further by describing the current political model as a structure that fears free citizens.
"Because it is more difficult to govern truly free men," he wrote, noting that the refusal to change is driven by the fear of losing the foundations of power.
In his post, Ulises Aquino advocated for a "true Revolution" that calls for a dignified life, listens to the people, respects the right to dissent, and does not violate citizens' rights in the name of national security.
He proposed an inclusive path of transformation, free from ideological constraints, that prioritizes full freedom, human rights, and the reconstruction of the country through the ingenuity and talent of Cubans, both inside and outside the Island.
"There will be no foreign investment, due to the reasons we all know and the accumulated debts. Only the cooperation and entrepreneurship of all Cubans can lead us out of this situation. This must be with freedom and full rights, respecting all forms of thought and expression," he emphasized.
The singer warned against attempts to shape the future of new generations using outdated structures.
"Nobody has the right to design a country they will not live in, nor to shape the lives they want for my children," she noted.
Sustained criticism of the regime
Ulises Aquino's critical stance is not new.
Last April, he published another message titled "Let's Talk About SOLUTIONS," in which he denounced the Cuban government's inability to address the serious problems facing the country: blackouts, economic crisis, and widespread discouragement.
Then, he warned that without a profound ideological and political change, there would be no future for the nation.
Aquino called for a complete liberation of productive forces, free from the constraints of ideological conservatism and the half-measures of reformism.
In his view, the Cuban crisis is no longer just economic; it also affects the demographics, sociology, and psychology of the people. "They have no present, and even less can they envision a future for our land," he lamented.
His criticism also extends to the Cuban political elite, which he accuses of maintaining a costly and inefficient bureaucracy, clinging to power out of fear, and using the people as an ideological shield.
He has insisted on the need for a revolution in thinking and on respecting the citizen's right to express their dissatisfaction.
An artistic and civic career
Ulises Aquino Guerra (Havana, 1963) is one of the most prestigious Cuban baritones of his generation, with performances on stages in Europe and America, and collaborations with figures such as Montserrat Caballé, Plácido Domingo, and Vicente Sardinero.
In 2006, he founded the Ópera de la Calle, an innovative cultural project with a strong community foundation that combined opera, zarzuela, rock, and Cuban rhythms, involving over 200 artists, both adults and children.
However, her initiative faced pushback from the government. In 2012, the Cuban government revoked the licenses to operate the restaurant El Cabildo, the main venue for the project, revealing the state's distrust towards autonomous projects with significant social impact.
Since then, Aquino has been one of the most coherent and courageous voices in the Cuban cultural scene, unambiguously expressing his disappointment with the direction of the country and defending every citizen's right to live with dignity, to choose, to dissent, and to shape their own destiny.
"I don’t want to die the way I lived," he said in a previous post. "I want to live peacefully and enjoy my children and grandchildren, who, in the end, are my greatest legacy."
Today, her voice resounds powerfully once again, calling for a different Cuba, a Cuba for everyone.
Frequently asked questions about Ulises Aquino's criticisms of the Cuban regime
What does Ulises Aquino highlight about the failure of the system in Cuba?
Ulises Aquino believes that the failure in Cuba lies in the imposed economic and social system, which has resulted in a massive renunciation of fundamental rights and widespread misery. He criticizes the use of the U.S. embargo as a pretext to justify the collapse, stating that the situation is deeper and goes beyond the blockade.
What is Ulises Aquino's proposal for a true revolution in Cuba?
Aquino advocates for a "true Revolution" that promotes full freedom, human rights, and citizen participation. He proposes an inclusive path of transformation that prioritizes the ingenuity and talent of Cubans, both on the island and abroad, and that respects all forms of thought and expression.
How does Ulises Aquino criticize the official narrative regarding the U.S. embargo?
Aquino questions the use of the embargo as the sole cause of Cuba's collapse and criticizes this official narrative for serving as an excuse to avoid acknowledging the internal shortcomings of the system. He believes that the problem is more profound and is due to the country's internal management, not just external factors.
What impact did the Ópera de la Calle project founded by Ulises Aquino have?
The Ópera de la Calle project, founded by Aquino in 2006, was an innovative cultural initiative that combined opera, zarzuela, rock, and Cuban rhythms, impacting over 200 artists. Despite its success, the project faced state distrust and the withdrawal of licenses, highlighting the government's skepticism towards autonomous initiatives.
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