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The Cuban musicologist Rosa Marquetti questioned the media and political nature of some international solidarity initiatives with Cuba, stating that, in her view, they instrumentalize the structural crisis in which the country is submerged, while overlooking the quiet assistance that churches and citizens have provided for years.
In a reflection posted on her Facebook wall, the intellectual recalled that for decades churches of various denominations and numerous individuals have channeled humanitarian aid to the island without publicity or political prominence.
He specified that these contributions, which include medicines, food, and clothing, have been delivered directly to communities and parishes in a discreet and consistent manner, without announcements or coverage in the official Cuban media.
In his opinion, the contrast is evident when the initiatives come from figures perceived as close to the government, as in those cases, the media mechanisms are quickly activated to amplify the gesture.
“For the Cubans who from many places have not only sent aid and contributions for decades, not a word, not a compliment, sometimes not even the necessary facilities. For the non-Cubans who are 'one of their own,' and who are far from putting themselves in the shoes of those currently living in Cuba, all the reverence. That is why, due to arrogance, contempt, and the whip for their own, they have reached the point they are at today”, he emphasized.
The historian argued that these actions ultimately become performances that deliberately confuse the government with the Cuban people and transform what could be a gesture of empathy among citizens into a political and partisan act.
In his text, he also criticized that the authorities prefer to engage in dialogue and coordinate with foreign allies rather than recognize the diversity of opinions within Cuban society itself or facilitate aid initiatives promoted by citizens from the country or by the diaspora.
Marquetti linked this dynamic to the international narrative that, in his view, uses the Cuban crisis as a political symbol.
“I am tired of Cuba being seen as the theme park of resistance”, she emphasized.
He also denounced what he referred to as the "folklorization of misery," where the material hardship of the country becomes an aesthetic or ideological argument for foreign visitors who spend only a few days on the island without experiencing the actual living conditions of the population.
“No one asked us Cubans if we wanted to sacrifice ourselves to please nostalgic leftists, the 'groupies' of nonagenarian guerrillas, the dreamy academics, giving them the symbol of an outdated utopia in which none of them chose, wanted, or want to live”, he concluded.
The criticism arises at a time when they are in Cuba, and they even met with the ruling Miguel Díaz-Canel, activists, and leftist politicians associated with the so-called Convoy Nuestra América, an international initiative that promotes solidarity actions with the Cuban government.
In that context, statements from Havana by the former leader of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, in which he claimed that the situation in the country “is difficult but not as it is portrayed from the outside”, sparked strong backlash among Cubans on social media.
The recent video of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg also sparked controversy, as she solely blamed the U.S. government for the crisis on the island and called for international support for the Cuban government. This led to criticism from citizens who reproached her for ignoring the internal political situation and the daily struggles faced by the population.
The comments on Marquetti's message reflected a similar discomfort. Some users reported that sectors of the international left are using the Cuban crisis for ideological propaganda, while others insisted that effective aid is often the kind that arrives discreetly and directly to the communities.
Other participants in the debate pointed out that international solidarity loses credibility when it turns into a political spectacle or when it ignores the responsibility of the Cuban system itself in the economic and social crisis the country is experiencing.
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