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The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, accused the socialist president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, of "political opportunism" this past weekend after the leader labeled Cuba a dictatorship and directly held the regime responsible for the deep crisis facing the island.
In a message posted on the social network X (formerly Twitter), Rodríguez Parrilla refrained from naming names, but his words left no room for doubt: “While Latin America and the Caribbean are being assaulted and threatened by the United States, some leaders in the region prefer to criticize Cuba. In their case, attacking our country is not an act of coherence or bravery, but rather political opportunism.”
Fearful of the consequences of his criticisms—and in a cunning manner—the Cuban foreign minister added that this leader “squandered his time” and that “his errors and inconsistencies handed his country over to the neofascist far right,” apparently referring to the recent victory of a conservative bloc in Chile following Boric's term.
The statements come just days after Boric, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, reaffirmed his critical stance towards the regime in Havana.
There is no democracy in Cuba; it is a single-party regime without freedom of expression,” stated the Chilean leader, who also emphasized that “the main responsibility lies with those who govern Cuba, beyond the effects of the U.S. embargo.”
Boric also described the situation on the island as a "deep and painful" crisis marked by scarcity, migration, and a lack of basic freedoms.
Boric and his history of criticism of the Cuban regime
Boric's words were not an isolated incident. Even before coming to power, the Chilean leader has maintained a firm stance against authoritarian leftist governments.
After the protests of July 11, 2021, in Cuba, he expressed on social media: “My solidarity with those who demand freedom and democracy in Cuba.”
During his presidential campaign, he reaffirmed his distance from orthodox leftism by stating that “I have no issue saying that Cuba and Nicaragua are dictatorships,” and, as president, declared that his government would condemn all violations of human rights “regardless of the political color of the responsible regime.”
His stance drew criticism from more radical sectors of Chilean progressivism, particularly from the Communist Party, but it was celebrated by a broad range of democratic sectors throughout Latin America, which highlighted his ideological coherence and his defense of human rights without double standards.
A critical tradition within Chilean socialism
The aggressive response from Havana contrasts with the evolution of the Chilean left since the return of democracy.
Socialist presidents like Ricardo Lagos and Michelle Bachelet also kept a respectful distance from the Cuban regime, prioritizing human rights over ideological solidarity.
During his term, Lagos avoided aligning with Havana in international forums, while Bachelet, now serving as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, faced criticism from the regime for including Cuba in her reports on fundamental freedoms.
Boric himself represents a new generation of Latin American leftists seeking to differentiate themselves from the historical authoritarianism of Castroism and Chavismo, advocating for a modern, pluralistic social democracy committed to transparency and civil liberties.
Propaganda exhausted
The message from the Cuban chancellor, filled with slogans and typical accusations against "imperialism," reflects the regime's difficulty in accepting criticism, even from its former allies.
The strategy of discrediting every dissident or external critic no longer has the same effect in a region that is increasingly aware of human rights violations on the island.
While official propaganda tries to portray any criticism as a betrayal, Boric's stance—though uncomfortable for the old Latin American left—reveals that a segment of regional progressivism has chosen to break the silence in the face of the totalitarian imprint of the Cuban regime.
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