The recent complaints from the pro-government presenter Michel E. Torres Corona regarding the alleged lack of resources for his program “Con Filo” have sparked a wave of criticism on social media that ultimately reflects a collective sentiment: Cubans no longer want this space on national television.
The host, openly linked to the official discourse of the regime, stated on Facebook that his program is made “with less and less resources.” However, the public's reaction was strong. Far from empathizing with his lament, many internet users questioned the public spending allocated to a production they consider “unnecessary,” “fake,” and “disconnected from the people.”
"They should cancel that program and allocate those resources to hospitals, schools, or social dining facilities," commented a user, aligning with dozens who called for its immediate cancellation.
Others pointed out with irony that if the people must "do more with less", as dictated by the regime's slogans, then Michel Torres can also apply “creative resistance”.
Critics have focused on the perception of impunity and privilege among the presenters of Con Filo, who, as users report, have state support, access to international travel, and a platform to spread misinformation from a position of power.
“They complain about a lack of resources, but for them, there is never a shortage. The problem is that they have no audience,” stated another commentator.
Many were even more straightforward: “That program is useless, nobody watches it, they should take it off the air already,” “It’s an insult to the people that they’re still on while genuinely useful spaces are being closed,” or “With that money they're spending, they should buy food for a nursing home instead.”
Collective indignation translates into a outright rejection of what they consider a propaganda machine unable to provide real solutions to the country's problems.
The questions also targeted the contradiction that a program attacking independent media and government critics is now presenting itself as a victim of the crisis.
"Michel Torres wants to portray himself as helpless, but his program is funded by the same ones who ask us for resistance. Let him practice it too," ironized an internet user.
The statement by Torres seems to have been the last straw for many Cubans who, in the face of power outages, shortages, and censorship, are clearly demanding: less political propaganda on television and more solutions to the issues in their regions.
Everything seems to suggest that, for a segment of the Cuban people, this begins with taking programs like Con Filo off the air.
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