Cuban priest Alberto Reyes: "This people has long since stopped identifying with the 'Revolution'"

In a deeply critical reflection on the Cuban government, the priest Alberto Reyes railed against the recent six-year prison sentence imposed on the writer José Gabriel Barrenechea in Villa Clara for shouting "we want electricity" during a blackout in 2024.

Reyes, known for his insightful analyses on the national situation, stated on Facebook that the ruling is part of a broader pattern of disconnection of the regime from the needs of the people, an example of how the authorities have lost touch with "the real reality."

"While this town continues to take to the streets to demand its right to life, whether asking for water, food, medicine, electricity, or freedom, the Government speaks of patience, sacrifice, and resilience, blames the blockade for all evils, and exacerbates repression, unjust sentences, and exemplary trials," he questioned.

For the Father, the disconnection from the regime is not limited to this case; it is also reflected in the official insistence on rhetoric such as a "war of the entire people," or in the defense of policies that ignore the voice and will of the majority of citizens.

"Anyone who walks down the street notices that this town is closely watching what is happening in Venezuela and is openly and privately expressing hope for the end of this dictatorship," he revealed, emphasizing the contrast between public perception and the official narrative.

Reyes expressed his concern about other aspects of official policy, such as the presentation of false claims to international organizations, for example, the "voluntary" nature of military service, while reports accumulate of young people who have died during that period.

"The country is falling apart and Cuba is collapsing in every sense," he stated, criticizing the official response that reinforces hardline rhetoric and presents any chance of change as a betrayal, instead of acknowledging the legitimate aspirations of the population.

The parish priest posed direct questions that capture his central message: "Have so many years of clinging to power made it impossible for you to realize what this people feels and wants? Is the disconnection from reality so vast that it leads you to believe that dictatorships are eternal?"

Reyes' comment adds to the voices both inside and outside of Cuba that denounce the use of justice as a political tool to punish dissent and have drawn international attention to cases like that of Barrenechea, whose imprisonment is part of a broader strategy of repression.