A recent report from Cubanet Noticias traveled through the streets of Cuba to ask people what would happen if "they take" Miguel Díaz-Canel away. The responses, filled with irony, frustration, and exhaustion, reflected the mood of a people caught between despair and the desire for change.
One of the interviewees went viral for his honesty. "Man, what joy that would give me, buddy, the greatest thing in the world," he began. He then expanded his criticism beyond the leader: "I would be happy... not for Díaz-Canel, you know who? That Marrero guy, the main one. That guy is a son of a b..., a tremendous shameless person, that fat cat, and he has the people starving. And Díaz-Canel too, with that poorly dressed woman... they should take them all away, to see if we can be happy, bro."
The man spoke about hunger, poverty, and accumulated frustration: “I am 59 years old and I have seen nothing. The children are malnourished, there is hunger in Cuba, my friend. The elderly don’t even have a glass of milk. Before, when Fidel was in power, there wasn't this, my friend, there is nothing here. Everyone is malnourished.”
Others interviewed responded with caution or resignation. One woman said, “I’ll be the first to take to the streets,” while another man stated that he only hopes “nothing happens to the people” and that “when it's for the better, there has to be some improvement.” However, most responded with phrases like “I don’t know,” “I don’t want to comment,” or “I don’t know anything about that,” reflecting the lingering fear of speaking publicly about politics on the island.
The video has garnered thousands of comments on social media, where the first interviewee's figure was celebrated for his courage. Many users agreed that he "spoke the truth without fear," that he "spoke from the heart," and that he represents "the voice of the everyday Cuban." Others pointed out that "the fear in the people is evident" and that "change depends on everyone losing their fear of speaking out." There were also numerous supportive messages, calling the man "brave" and "the true Cuban who dared to say what many keep silent."
The reactions come amid an increasingly tense political atmosphere. Recently, Miguel Díaz-Canel sparked a wave of criticism on social media by stating that "Cuba is a free, independent, and sovereign nation" and that the country is ready to defend the homeland "to the last drop of blood," a declaration that prompted hundreds of sarcastic responses and comments such as "you don't have much time left" or "you can feel, read, and smell the fear," according to what was shown in the reactions on social media.
At the same time, opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer urged the regime to "move quickly," release political prisoners, and allow the people to "take control of their destiny," warning that "a enslaved people desire someone to save them, and if it is the United States that does so, the vast majority of Cubans will be grateful," according to his recent statements.
The report by Cubanet and the massive response it has provoked reveal a growing sentiment among Cubans: a mix of fear and desire for freedom, along with the conviction that something must change. "Let them take them away, to see if we're happy," said one interviewee. His phrase encapsulates, without slogans or speeches, the frustration of a generation that feels it has lost everything except hope.
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