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The popular Cuban musician Cándido Fabré has once again spoken out about the economic crisis suffocating the population, this time with a message that blends nostalgia, criticism, and frustration regarding the current situation in the country.
In a post published on Facebook, the artist reminisced about the times when leader Lázaro Expósito was at the helm of the province of Santiago de Cuba, and he called for the return of state-run markets in national currency with fair prices that can compete with those in the private sector.
"As in the times of Lázaro Expósito Canto, we need state markets in national currency with prices lower than those of private vendors to compete with them," he wrote.
"Fines and prohibitions solve nothing; they only drive individuals away and have a negative impact on the people," he emphasized.
Fabré's words, known for his loyalty to the government, reflect a growing discontent even among those closest to the regime: the government's inability to provide real solutions to a crisis that has already exceeded all limits.
Amid rampant inflation, endless blackouts, and widespread food shortages, the singer's call for "state markets with fair prices" sounds like an echo of a past that some remember with nostalgia.
However, that period was also characterized by strict state control, with other attempts by the government to "cap prices" that were a complete failure and only led to shortages and corruption.
Where is Lázaro Expósito?
Lázaro Expósito served as the first secretary of the Communist Party in Santiago de Cuba for 12 years, from 2009 to 2021, when he was removed from his position.
The official information did not reveal the reasons for the dismissal, only stating that other tasks would be assigned to him.
The tone of the statement and the compliments given to him by the country's leadership led to speculation about a replacement to assign him other responsibilities. Sources consulted by CiberCuba in the city of Santiago mentioned reports of health issues.
In December of last year, the regime, in another move involving its leaders, announced the exclusion of Expósito from the Central Committee of the Party, without providing any explanation.
Last October, after a period of being out of the public eye, the former leader reappeared in Bayamo at the Fiesta de la Cubanía, where he was honored and praised.
The photos that circulated showed him much thinner and older, which reinforced the hypothesis that he is suffering from some illness.
"There is food, but it cannot be paid for."
Fabré's new message adds to another he published on Thursday, in which he denounced the abuse of prices by private sellers and transporters.
"Private sellers take advantage of the pain and need of the people… they raise prices every minute, do not accept transfers, the magnetic cards are useless, poor retirees and workers without a penny in cash," he expressed indignantly.
His words encapsulate the sentiment of millions of Cubans who find themselves trapped between state neglect and market greed, in an economy where the government no longer provides protection and the private sector operates without clear regulations.
While the leaders repeat speeches about "resistance and faith," the population struggles to survive in a country where the average salary is not even enough for a week's worth of food.
In that context, Fabré's nostalgia for a past in which - at least on the surface - state markets offered more accessible prices is also a form of reproach to a government that has lost the control and trust of the people.
The musician concluded his publication by saying: "I always criticize, but never against. With revolution, yes we can, with strength, love, and faith."
But even among those who still turn to faith and love, it is becoming increasingly difficult to believe in a revolution that fails to feed, enlighten, or protect its people.
A country in free fall
The Cuban economic reality has reached a critical point. Prices are rising daily, salaries are worth less and less, and the Cuban peso continues to plummet against the dollar in the informal market.
The shortage of food, fuel, and medicine worsens each week, and the authorities limit themselves to blaming private vendors or imposing control measures that ultimately affect the people more than the speculators.
In the interior cities of the country, especially in the east, the situation has become unsustainable following the passage of the hurricane Melissa, which destroyed thousands of homes, devastated crops, and left entire communities underwater.
Although the government promised aid and "recovery jobs," the reality is that most of the affected have yet to receive assistance, and families who lost everything are barely surviving amidst hunger, mud, and darkness.
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