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The Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugás responded this Sunday to the message from Pope Leo XIV, who had called for “promoting a sincere and effective dialogue” between Cuba and the United States to prevent an escalation of tensions.
"We have 67 years of suffering and pain. Any action that can change that suffering and pain for so many millions of Cubans for such a long time" will be welcomed, Ugás wrote on the X account of the Holy Father.
The athlete, known for his activism in favor of freedom for Cuba, expressed his disagreement with the positions advocating for dialogue with the communist regime, which he held responsible for decades of repression and misery.
The message from Pope Leo XIV, released just hours earlier, expressed his "great concern over the rising tensions between Cuba and the United States" and urged to "avoid violence and any actions that could increase the suffering of the Cuban people."
However, the pontiff's statements sparked criticism among the Cuban exile community and international political sectors, who believe that his call overlooks the structural and ongoing violence of the regime.
Ugás, former world welterweight champion of the World Boxing Association (WBA), has reiterated on several occasions that Cuba does not need dialogue with its oppressors, but rather real freedom and justice for the people.
His message, brief yet impactful, reflects the desperation of millions of Cubans living amid blackouts, shortages, and repression.
"Any action that ends such pain" will be welcomed, concluded Ugás, in what many interpreted as support for international measures aimed at hastening the end of the Cuban regime.
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