The Cuban filmmaker Ian Padrón rejected this Thursday the accusations of "lynching" against Jorge Perugorría following the criticism generated on social media by the actor and director's recent statements at the Málaga Film Festival.
In a Facebook post, Padrón joked about the reactions from regime officials and their supporters who have labeled the wave of opinions on the matter as a "lynching."
“It’s amusing to see officials—and their followers—talk about ‘lynching’ because of the thousands of people who have publicly expressed their opinions on social media regarding the statement—also public—made by filmmaker Jorge Perugorría in Málaga,” he wrote.
The director defended that criticisms are part of the public debate among citizens and compared this situation to what he considers true acts of lynching by the authorities in Cuba.
"I believe that term truly applies to what the dictatorship does to dissenters, to those it imprisons for protesting, to those who have lost their jobs or have had to leave Cuba due to institutional repression," he stated.
Padrón also recalled historical episodes of harassment against opponents and critical artists, and mentioned practices such as acts of repudiation or the use of terms like "worms," "traitors," or "mercenaries" to discredit those who dissent from the system.
“National lynching is having only one party, being unable to choose freely, and only being able to applaud in favor of ‘irrevocable’ socialism,” he added.
The filmmaker insisted that he has no personal conflicts with Perugorría or with actress Mirtha Ibarra, whose name has also appeared in some publications on the subject.
"I have nothing personal against Perugorría (…) I just disagreed with him about who is truly responsible for the crisis in Cuba," he clarified, reiterating his willingness to engage in a public debate with the actor.
The controversy arose after Perugorría held U.S. President Donald Trump responsible for worsening the economic situation in Cuba. His remarks were made during a press conference at the Málaga Film Festival, where he presented the film Neurótica anónima, co-directed with Ibarra.
After those statements, Padrón invited him to debate in his show “Right to Reply” about the causes of the Cuban crisis, which he attributes to structural problems within the country's political system.
The debate among figures in Cuban culture regarding the origins of the national crisis and the regime's responsibilities for the economic and social deterioration in Cuba is growing increasingly intense on social media. However, most artists living on the island remain silent due to fear of government repercussions.
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