The Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel stated in his recent special appearance that Cuba is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States “on any topics that are desired to be debated,” but “without pressure, without preconditions, and in a position of mutual respect.”
His statements, disseminated by the Presidencia de Cuba, reiterated the traditional official position of demanding sovereignty and equal treatment, maintaining a continuity with the discourses of Fidel and Raúl Castro.
“Under pressure, one cannot engage in dialogue,” stated Díaz-Canel, while defending the idea of building a “civilized” relationship between the two countries, based on respect for national independence.
But while the ruler appeals for respect and dialogue with the outside world, his own government intensifies repression against those who attempt to exercise free expression within the country, punishing any form of dissent, criticism, or civic debate.
In recent days, the arrest of the young people from the independent project El4tico has once again highlighted that double standard.
The group, known for its political analysis videos and social criticism, has been publishing original videos with messages that denounce the authoritarian nature of the Cuban system, providing sharp critiques of the regime from the perspectives of economics, sociology, psychology, and political philosophy.
For exercising their right to freedom of thought and expression, State Security arrested two of its members, Kamil Zayas Pérez and Ernesto Ricardo Medina, in Holguín during an operation in which their work equipment was confiscated.
A letter written by Kamil before his arrest revealed his foresight regarding the detention. “I am not arrested for stealing or for assaulting; I am arrested for the only crime that a dictatorship cannot tolerate: thinking for myself,” he wrote.
The case of El4tico is not isolated. Opponents, independent journalists, artists, and citizens who express themselves peacefully continue to be harassed, monitored, and detained by State Security.
Young activists like Anna Sofía Benítez have denounced the same pattern of persecution and censorship for exercising the right to speak freely.
Reports from the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch confirm the persistence of arbitrary detentions, police surveillance, and biased trials against protesters and communicators.
Díaz-Canel's speech about a "civilized dialogue" with Washington starkly contrasts with the absolute absence of internal social dialogue.
While asking not to be pressured from abroad, he pressures and silences his own people; while demanding respect for national sovereignty, he violates the sovereign rights of Cuban citizens to express themselves, organize, and think without fear.
It is paradoxical that the regime calls for dialogue when it comes to the United States, yet shuts down all channels of communication among Cubans. The same government that demands equality among nations does not tolerate equality among different voices within the country.
Díaz-Canel stated that "such a dialogue can build a civilized relationship between neighbors." However, in Cuba—where social dialogue is punished with imprisonment—neighbors with differing views are treated as enemies.
The gap between discourse and reality is vast: the Cuban regime cannot engage in dialogue under external pressures, yet it thrives on pressuring its own people.
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