Manuel "Manny" Morales, head of the Miami Police Department, sent a direct message this week to Cuban police officers urging them not to become instruments of the regime to repress the people, in a video shared by CubaNet Noticias that garnered over 147,000 views on Facebook.
"Here speaks Manny Morales, the chief of police of the city of Miami, from exile. In recent weeks, the eyes of the world have turned to our island," Morales began, referencing the protests that have shaken Cuba since early March due to the energy crisis and the increasing pressure from the U.S. administration.
In that context, Morales appealed to the officers' conscience, reminding them of their true mission.
"The mission of a police officer is to look after the public, protect individuals from harm, whether from another individual or even from the government, and safeguard the lives of everyone," he stated.
He also pointed out that their own families are suffering from the same crisis as the rest of the people.
"The people are united. The shortage of electricity, the shortage of food, everyone is suffering," he emphasized.
The Cuban-American police chief was direct in urging the officers to take a stand.
"This is the time to stand together with the Cuban people and show the entire world that this is the moment", he stated, and issued a warning about the historical consequences of his actions.
"We will not be toys of this regime to oppress our people," he warned; and he called on them to wake up before it is too late because "the eyes of the world will judge them."
The video concluded with a call to action: "You still have time, I remind you, do what is right, what you know in your heart you must do, which is to protect the people of our island and to say no to the Cuban regime."
This message is part of a sustained pattern of direct communications that Morales has maintained with the Cuban police.
In January 2026, he had already warned them to act before it was too late.
"The end is near, the government will fall. The people of Cuba need you," he said then.
On March 4, just days before this new video, Morales declared his willingness to lead a police reform in Cuba if a transition occurs.
"My greatest desire is to lead the deep reform of the Cuban police", he stated; and added that "he has the knowledge and the necessary will to transform the current arm of authoritarianism into a democratic police institution that serves the people and not an ideology."
Morales has direct experience in transitions of this kind: he participated in the Just Cause Operation in Panama in 1989, where he trained the new Panamanian Public Force after the overthrow of dictator Manuel Noriega, a precedent he cites as support for his proposal for Cuba.
The police chief, who announced his retirement for October 2026 after more than three decades of service, has also been the target of threats from the YouTube channel "Guerrero Cubano," allegedly linked to Cuban State Security, a case that the FBI has been investigating since October 2025.
In response, Morales did not hold back: "I am not afraid, but it is a serious crime for a foreign government to threaten a U.S. citizen in public service."
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