Morales Ojeda calls to "seize the opportunities," and Cubans respond: "No one wants to study to go hungry."

The message from communist leader Roberto Morales Ojeda on International Student Day triggered a wave of criticism on social media, where many Cubans questioned his call to “seize the opportunities” in a country overwhelmed by shortages and despair.

The Member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the Communist Party of Cuba described the event as "a day of celebration, collective opportunities, and gratitude to a country that has multiplied the word student."

“No matter the shortages, no matter the limitations, and a fierce blockade that also greatly harms student life, we will continue to strive to keep the doors of knowledge and opportunities open for all,” wrote the leader who apparently is unaware that a high percentage of the youth wish to emigrate. 

Morales Ojeda also asserted that Cuba is “that small country of the global south capable of ensuring high levels of schooling and free access to higher education,” and congratulated the student body, stating that the majority “understand the historic moment they are living through.”

However, the triumphant tone of the message sparked a flood of responses on Facebook, where users expressed their frustration at what they consider a discourse disconnected from the reality of the country.

With an empty belly, wrote the user Orlando Pedraja, while another user, José Ramón García, replied: “Most will dream of emigrating. Nobody wants to study to go hungry. Enough already.”

Other comments pointed directly to the failure of the educational model and the harsh conditions faced by young Cubans. “We congratulate them and encourage them with a blackout all night,” ironized Pedro Michel León.

For his part, Yasser Torriente criticized the hypocrisy of the official discourse: “A government reveals its ineptitude when it normalizes misery and punishes those who refuse to live in hardship as if it were a virtue.”

In that same vein, Rafael Barreto pointed out that the regime constantly repeats the argument of the "blockade" as a permanent excuse. "The blockade is mentioned incessantly, like a mantra. This shapes the mindset of many, both inside and outside of Cuba, who still believe it is responsible for the disaster," he wrote.

The reactions reflect the increasing social discontent on the island, where thousands of young people are dropping out of school or emigrating due to a lack of economic prospects, ongoing power outages, food shortages, and low wages.

Despite this, the regime's top leaders continue to celebrate the "achievements" of the Revolution in education, while the population faces one of the deepest crises in decades.