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The Cuban presenter and influencer Alexander Otaola has once again found himself at the center of controversy after rejecting requests for humanitarian intervention in Cuba and claiming that the "Cuban misfortune" has been "accepted by the people," which sparked a new wave of criticism on social media.
In a circulated on digital platforms, Otaola firmly requested that they stop demanding external action regarding the island.
“Stop asking for intervention in Cuba. The Cuban misfortune was accepted by the people who are now dying abandoned. No one is going to solve the problem. With the same force they showed during acts of repudiation yesterday, they have to shake off the dictatorship today,” he stated, directly holding the population responsible for the situation the country is facing.
Her words sparked immediate reactions. In the comments section, one user responded that a humanitarian intervention is indeed necessary, emphasizing that “not everyone is a sheep of that regime” and that in Cuba “families are suffering and the deaths do not cease, there are no medications, and if there are, they are on the black market.”
The internet user defended the right of families to assist their loved ones or travel if they deem it necessary, and recalled that "since '59, misfortune has existed in Cuba and they have accepted it, but that doesn't mean families will stop helping their own."
The new outburst of criticism adds to the previous controversy generated by Otaola when he questioned the food donations sent from Florida for the victims of Hurricane Melissa.
In one of his broadcasts, he mockingly referred to the efforts of the emigrant community that organizes food and basic item collections for those affected on the island.
“You're telling me, damn, you're handing out clothing to people who have nothing, who have lost everything, they are going to need it… but a little bottle of oil… it’s a stomach issue, it's all just ‘tambucherismo’,” said the influencer, downplaying the impact of those shipments.
Otaola went further by comparing the aid situation to a kind of "agricultural fair" and downplaying the actual impact of the donations.
“No it's not organized or on a large scale, just three fools, four little things, two trucks, and that's it. It's not like they mobilized anyone, just among themselves,” he stated, referring to those who gather and distribute the aid.
The phrase that generated the most outrage was another statement filled with disdain towards the situation of the Cuban population: “Oh, what a big deal, what a people, what a hungry people for your mother! Oh, everything, everything, everything is related to the fuck… stomach, everything, everything, everything!”
In light of the avalanche of criticism, Otaola emphasized that sending food is not a dignified solution and concluded with an idea he later reiterated on social media: “Misery does not eliminate misery. Almsgiving is not help.”
The segment of her program was shared on Instagram by the influencer "Un Martí To’ Durako," who publicly confronted her: "Madam, they have not only been given clothes but also shoes and food because they need to eat. They lost everything, and while it may not be much, it is something... Meanwhile, what have you done besides asking for donations for your organization and tickets for your Halloween party? Oh right, you're going to take the island dressed as a poppy."
The message triggered hundreds of comments from Cubans both inside and outside the country, questioning Otaola's stance.
Reactions focused on his lack of empathy, condescending tone, and disdain with which he referred to both the victims of Melissa and those who are channeling aid from abroad.
For many users, the combination of attacks on donations with the assertion that "the people accepted their misery" reinforces the image of a narrative that blames the victims and delegitimizes both requests for help and solidarity efforts, fueling a controversy that, rather than fading, continues to grow in the Cuban digital public space.
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