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The latest outburst from Lis Cuesta Peraza, the wife of the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, has once again ignited social media and polarized opinions both inside and outside of Cuba.
From Vietnam, where she was part of the official delegation at the country's independence events, the so-called "not first lady" posted on her X account: “Suffer, ridiculous imperialists! This is the celebration of the VICTORY of the red, of the sickle and hammer, of SOCIALISM; the VICTORY of resistance, dignity, and courage!”
In a second message, Cuesta Peraza went further in his ridiculous anti-imperialist exaltation and, amidst cheers for Cuba and Vietnam, dared to compare the culture and identity of both nations: “The Vietnamese are a people like ours: resilient, resourceful, brave, and dignified.”
However, his unfortunate posts—marked by aggressive rhetoric and undiplomatic language—ignited the debate and generated a wave of over 340 responses on X (formerly Twitter), ranging from criticism and mockery to personal attacks.
An avalanche of criticism
Most of the comments questioned Cuesta Peraza's lack of sobriety, the contrast between his words and the reality of the island, and the contradiction of traveling in a luxury chartered plane to talk about socialism.
“You speak of ‘the victory of socialism’ while in Cuba people stand in endless lines for bread, carry buckets of water because there is no stable service, and survive on remittances. What victory do you boast about?”, wrote a user.
Others were more caustic: “My God, you talking about ridiculousness, Primera Empella? You, grotesque and frivolous, are not right in that head”. Another comment added: “What a gossipy lady. There is no victorious town when living in a dictatorship. Cuba and Vietnam are communist dictatorships”.
Comparisons with the everyday life of Cubans were also abundant. “While you spend millions on the tour, the people have not even a loaf of bread and endure up to 20 hours of blackouts,” claimed a social media user. “The only ones suffering are the ordinary Cubans, not you traveling like sheikhs with Cartier watches and Dolce & Gabbana glasses,” another one quipped.
Insults, mockery, and warnings
The harshness of many messages revealed the citizens' frustration with the style of the official from the Ministry of Culture, Dr. Cuesta Peraza.
"Even if you lose 50 kilos, no one can take away the pig part from you", wrote one user. Others called her "grotesque," "transvestite," "monkey dressed in silk," and "vulgar prostitute," while recalling that her role lacks institutional legitimacy.
“What merit do you have to be there? You hold no official position, yet you travel with public funds,” a user declared, expressing the prevailing sentiment among the Cuban population, who are increasingly repulsed by the nepotism and corruption becoming more visible in the Palace couple.
Political warnings were not lacking: “When Cuba regains its freedom, you and your husband will face justice,” noted a commentator. Another drew a parallel with the fall of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu: “Machi, remember how Ceauşescu and his wife ended. The Castros will not hesitate to sacrifice you when you are no longer useful”.
The minority defense
In the midst of a torrent of insults and criticism, a dissenting voice attempted to support Cuesta. The government journalist Pedro Jorge Velázquez, known on social media as 'El Necio de Cuba', celebrated the defiant tone with a brief message:
“Hahaha, the Lis we adore is back. The Yankees looked ridiculous in Vietnam.” Their support was quickly pointed out as a display of servility to the totalitarian power in a space dominated by questioning and sarcasm directed at the presidential figures of the Castro dictatorship.
Between mockery and discredit
The reactions targeted not only the message itself but also the image that Cuesta Peraza projects as the permanent companion of the leader “appointed by hand” by Raúl Castro, the also Dr. Díaz-Canel.
Many highlighted the contrast with real first ladies on the international stage. "In your life, you will never read words like this from Melania Trump; she is a true first lady.", wrote a user. Another compared: "In Vietnam, there was war, destruction, and then reconstruction. In Cuba, there has never been a war, and after 66 years, all that remains is ruin."
Some comments mixed indignation with humor: “I thought it was a parody account”, admitted an internet user. Another joked: “The ones who suffer are those who have to see your shower curtain dresses”.
The political backdrop
The episode takes place while Cuba is facing one of its worst economic and social crises in decades: power outages of up to 20 hours, shortages of food and medicine, rampant inflation, and an unprecedented exodus.
In this context, Cuesta Peraza's words served as a reminder for many of the disconnection between the ruling elite and the daily lives of Cubans.
A tweet summarized it bluntly: “Your comment shows that you are vulgar and lacking in class. You present yourself as the First Lady, but for that to be true, the people would have had to choose your husband. And they did not.”
With each post, Cuesta Peraza's figure seems to gain visibility on social media, but it also accumulates disrepute. For her critics, her carefree style is yet another indication of impunity and frivolity amidst the suffering of a country. For her few supporters, it is merely a way to "respond to the imperialists."
The truth is that with her “Suffer, ridiculous imperialists!” the “not first lady” once again brought the focus back on herself and left Vietnam in the background. And in Cuba, where suffering is real and daily, social media responded with a mix of outrage, sarcasm, and disdain.
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