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“An empty island in the middle of the sea, empty not because there are no inhabitants, but because there is no faith, no motivation, no desires, no passion, and that is the emptiest one can be.” With these harsh words, the popular television, film, and theater actor Ray Cruz described the current situation in Cuba.
“The night, which has always been associated with romance, bohemian life, and the Havana Malecón, has turned into a dark pit where echoes are not heard,” commented Ray on his Instagram account, referring to the intense blackout crisis that is affecting the country.
The message immediately sparked hundreds of reactions and comments among his followers, most of whom echoed the atmosphere of sadness and despair prevailing in the country and thanked the actor for reflecting it in his writing.
"What happens with the hours that fade into darkness where one does nothing but wait and wait, and everything that doesn’t arrive becomes eternal?" wrote the actor, known for television shows such as the historical series "LCB, la otra guerra," the comedy "Al habla con los muertos," the novel "Entrega," or more recently the historical program "Tomo 1."
Ray (Rayssel Cruz, Havana, 1985), who is also a musician and art instructor, referred to the loss of "the desire to move forward in true Cuban fashion, to wake up and go out into the street to fight for life," a spirit that, in his view, allowed for the maintenance of unity and the nurturing of the nation's dreams.
Like someone sketching a painful nocturnal map of the Cuban capital, he pointed out that there remained "a dark Morro, streets devoid of romance and filled with sadness, a Prado with lions that, if they could break the iron, would have devoured more than one."
In the exchanges among forum members, there were those who criticized Ray for bringing to life on screen a story told from the Cuban government's perspective, which does not question the official narrative. The actor replied: "No one is forcing me. One's story is one's own; Cuba's story, by the way, is very rich and beautiful."
He also explained that the television program referenced by the commentator - "Tomo 1" - is produced "with the utmost love" because it is part of his own story and that of many Cubans.
The multidimensional crisis affecting the country, with blackouts that, as acknowledged by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, last over 30 hours, has deteriorated daily life to such extremes that many already describe it as a humanitarian crisis.
Public figures such as actor Jorge Perugorría have attempted to continue supporting the government's narrative and blame all of the nation's problems on the current U.S. administration's fuel embargo.
Meanwhile, other actors and intellectuals, such as Ulises Toirac, have maintained a critical stance towards government decisions and suggested to the government that the significant shortages cannot be resolved with slogans, but rather with actions.
"An island that cannot be saved, neither in this life nor in three more," lamented Ray Cruz at the end of his post. The despair - which has driven sustained protests in various parts of the island for over a week - contrasts with the spirit of optimism and transformation that characterized his character, Professor Manuel, in the 2019 telenovela “Entrega.”
In that series, the goal was to "promote a positive, humane, and realistic message, always in line with the complexities surrounding us right now, but without losing hope," commented Ray himself in an interview from that time.
What more could be asked of the Cuban people? It seems to be reflecting in their post now.
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