The Cuban-American influencer Alexander Otaola reacted to reports about a possible departure from power of the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel and stated that a change in the presidency would not resolve the political crisis in Cuba.
In a video shared on Facebook, Otaola stated that the potential resignation of the president would not signify a real transformation as long as the political system remains intact. His remarks were made in response to recent reports about contacts and negotiations regarding the political future of the Island.
"Today it has been announced that the United States might force Canel to resign," he stated at the beginning of his comment, referring to reports circulating about a possible political scenario in Cuba.
However, the presenter insisted that the issue does not lie in the permanence of a specific leader, but rather in the structure of the political system that has governed the country for decades.
"That Canel resigning changes nothing, gentlemen, let's be clear here. Canel can resign, the pig can resign, all and every member of the Communist Party can resign," he stated.
In his speech, Otaola asserted that as long as the Communist Party continues to control political power on the Island, the situation in the country will remain unchanged.
"If the Communist Party continues to dictate the fate of the Cuban people, the problem remains the same, because here the problem is communism, it is the system, it is the macabre ideology and all its offshoots," he said.
The influencer also rejected the idea of reforming or salvaging elements of the current political system. He argued that any process of real change would need to be built from a completely different foundation.
"To create a new Cuba, to rebuild a new Cuba, it must be on new foundations, not on rotten ones, because otherwise, it won't last even two months," he expressed.
During his message, he also recalled comments he had made previously at an event at the Ermita de la Caridad del Cobre in Miami, where he defended a similar position on the political future of the Island.
"It's like what I said at the hermitage: concessions cannot be granted," he noted.
The presenter concluded his speech with a direct criticism of the Cuban political system and the single party that supports it.
"Here the message must be clear: the Communist Party is terrorist, and we must end terrorism, we must end communism, and we must outlaw this ideology because they are criminals," he stated.
In a text that accompanied the video, he summarized his position: "The freedom of Cuba does not depend on Díaz-Canel resigning. To rebuild a new Cuba, it must be on new foundations, not on rotten bases. The PCC is terrorist and we must put an end to the terrorism."
Otaola's statements come after reports surfaced about discreet conversations between the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and representatives of the royal power in Cuba.
According to Miami Herald, Washington is considering the possibility of Miguel Díaz-Canel stepping down as the main figure of the communist regime as part of a broader negotiation with Havana.
According to sources cited by that media outlet, the U.S. government believes that the Cuban leader could become an obstacle to the economic and political changes it seeks to promote on the island.
Díaz-Canel became president in 2018 after being appointed by Raúl Castro, and in 2021, he also took on the leadership of the Communist Party, solidifying his position within the political power structure.
However, reports indicate that the leader would have been sidelined from certain contacts held between advisers to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro and a figure connected to the military establishment that controls a significant portion of the Cuban economy.
One of the most recent meetings between representatives involved in these discussions reportedly took place last week in Saint Kitts, on the sidelines of the annual CARICOM summit.
Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," is linked to the military conglomerate GAESA, a business structure that controls a significant portion of the dollarized economy of the Island, including strategic ports, hotel chains, and fuel stations.
This type of contact reinforces the perception that real power in Cuba remains concentrated within the military and the Castro family, beyond the figure of the president.
At the same time, the Trump administration has increased pressure on Havana. Following the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation in January, Washington is said to have cut key oil supplies to Havana.
Trump himself has referred to Cuba on several occasions as a "failed nation" and has insisted on the need to reach an agreement that would prevent a total collapse.
For his part, Rubio has indicated that the United States does not expect immediate transformations, but rather "dramatic changes" in the country's centralized economic model.
According to sources cited by the Miami Herald, there has also been discussion about the possibility of a gradual relief of sanctions in exchange for structural reforms in the Cuban economy.
In this context, some analysts believe that Díaz-Canel's potential departure could serve as a political gesture towards Washington, although it would not necessarily imply deep changes in the actual foundations of power.
Experts consulted by the outlet indicate that sacrificing the leader could send an important political signal, but effective control of the system would remain in the hands of the military hierarchy and those close to Raúl Castro.
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