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The spokesperson for the Cuban regime, Humberto López, launched another media offensive against the independent outlet elToque, accusing it this Tuesday on his program Razones de Cuba of being part of a supposed "comprehensive economic warfare program" funded from the U.S. to manipulate the informal exchange rate and "destabilize the national economy."
The response from elToque was quick to come.
With irony and a touch of sarcasm, the outlet dismantled the accusations made by the official spokesperson and openly mocked the regime's propaganda narrative.
The response from elToque: Irony as an antidote to propaganda
In a text titled "Immediate Reflections," published after the airing of the program, elToque responded with a series of sharp and mocking phrases that quickly went viral.
“There is more rationality in those who believe that the Earth is flat than in those who place their blind faith in Humberto López and the National News of Cuban Television,” they asserted.
With that opening line, the outlet set the tone for its response: direct, ironic, and challenging.
Next, they added a reflection that accurately depicts the impossible dialogue between the independent press and the state propaganda apparatus:
"Debating with irrational people is futile: where one presents arguments, they will only see excuses."
In its conclusion, elToque ridiculed the notion that the media is responsible for the country's ills, using a metaphor that highlights the collective self-deception fostered by the regime's propaganda:
"If after watching another show from a space that tells of a country that doesn’t exist, you decide to believe that elToque and its creators are the cause of all your troubles, go ahead. Walk to the edge of that ‘plate’ you think is the planet. When you get there, feel whatever you want or imagine you should feel. But know that your emotions will not change two facts: the Earth is spherical and the elephant will remain there, in the middle of your room."
And they concluded with a brief and challenging message: “Tomorrow we’ll dedicate another moment to it.”
The response was celebrated on social media by hundreds of users, both inside and outside of Cuba, who saw in the ironic tone of elToque a form of resistance against fear and official misinformation.
The origin of the attack: A regime that seeks external scapegoats
The text from elToque was a direct reaction to the most recent defamation campaign driven by Cuban state propaganda.
In the program Razones de Cuba, Humberto López asserted that the independent media uses "U.S. taxpayer funds" to distort the informal currency market and impact the country's economic stability.
According to the regime's spokesperson, the work of elToque in publishing the informal rates of the Cuban peso against the dollar, the euro, and MLC daily would be part of an operation of “economic terrorism,” aimed at creating “financial panic” and “depressing the income of the population.”
The speech, however, did not provide verifiable evidence.
Instead, he reiterated the argument made days earlier by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, who stated at the UN that there is an "organized operation funded by Washington to provoke the economic collapse of Cuba."
In the television program, López even denied conducting a smear campaign, although his own rhetoric immediately contradicted him by stating:
“What worries El Toque is that Cubans stop considering them as a reference, that we no longer look at them as the exchange rate. They are concerned about losing credibility and that we organize ourselves around a transformative project to throw them in the trash.”
After the broadcast of the program, the main state media repeated the attack.
Granma published an article titled "El Toque acts against the well-being of the people of Cuba"; while Cubadebate released another under the headline "El Toque: from economic terrorism to currency trafficking."
Crisis, censorship, and fear of transparency
The media offensive occurs at a time when Cuba is experiencing an unprecedented economic and social crisis, marked by inflation, shortages, and the collapse of basic services.
In the face of its inability to resolve the economic disaster created by the regime itself, the official strategy consists of blaming external and independent actors, especially the media that manage to expose the reality the State is trying to hide.
In that context, elToque has solidified its position as one of the few reliable sources regarding the real value of the Cuban peso, which explains the regime's efforts to discredit it.
ElToque is preparing for a possible blockade
In light of the increasing hostility, the medium has warned its readers about the possibility that the Government may block its website within the island. In a post this Thursday on Facebook, elToque cautioned:
"The Cuban government could block the elTOQUE website. In light of this possibility, and if you don't want to miss any of our content, we have alternatives that may be useful."
The media provided links to download their mobile applications and to follow their social media channels.
The regime's new assault against elToque demonstrates its fear of transparency and independent information. Rather than yielding to pressure, the media responded with humor and dignity, reminding us that the truth cannot be censored, even if the regime tries to silence it.
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