The Cuban comedian Conrado Cogle, known for his character Boncó Quiñongo, asserted emphatically that the Cuban dictatorship will fall this year, in an interview with CiberCuba where he analyzed the political and economic situation on the island with an underlying optimistic message for the Cuban people.
"There’s nowhere left to go. People can’t come here anymore. There’s no Miami to escape to, sir," said Boncó, referring to the closure of the migratory valve that has historically allowed the regime to survive social upheavals.
The actor and comedian explained that Cuba has experienced a repeating cycle every 18 years: resignation, social explosion and protest, followed by the regime opening the borders to allow the pressure to dissipate in exile.
He cited examples such as Camarioca in 1965, the Mariel in 1980, the Maleconazo in 1994, and the routes through Ecuador and Nicaragua in the 2000s and 2010s. Now, with the immigration restrictions of the Trump Administration, that cycle has been broken.
"In Cuba this year the dictatorship is leaving the park. It has to go because there is nothing left," he stated. Boncó was also explicit about his political stance: "I am one of those who does not believe in annexation. I do not see the annexation of Cuba to the United States as necessary."
Instead, he expressed his desire to contribute to the country's reconstruction. "I am willing to put everything I've learned, everything I've acquired, everything I've earned financially, at the service of Cuba's reconstruction," he stated.
Boncó, who holds a degree in Civil Engineering, outlined an urban development plan for his hometown, Santos Suárez, which would include the repair of homes, water supply systems, sewage, and schools. He jokingly entertained the idea of becoming the neighborhood's mayor when Cuba is free.
The comedian also addressed one of the most insidious mechanisms of the system: the pursuit of self-sufficiency.
"Being self-sufficient was bad. When you had a boss who didn’t know anything, who put you in a factory, and someone knowledgeable came by and pointed out what was wrong... you would get fired because you knew," he explained, noting that all those talents ended up outside of Cuba and succeeded abroad.
Regarding Fidel Castro, he was emphatic: "We never created anything," he said before describing the dictator as someone who destroyed the economy, decimated livestock, failed at agrarian reform, and used Soviet money to finance wars instead of developing the country.
He unfavorably compared the Cuban dictatorship to other socialist regimes: Bulgarian, Polish, Czech, and Russian, which at least manufactured shoes, televisions, and tractors, while Cuba created absolutely nothing.
The interview with journalist Tania Costa takes place at a time of heightened tension on the island, where since March 7, there have been protests due to the intensification of the energy crisis, with ten out of 16 thermoelectric plants out of service and power outages lasting more than twenty hours a day affecting millions of Cubans.
Cuba is the best country in the world. It is a beautiful country, with tremendous resources, and a lot of potential to move forward, but it is run by inept, dishonest people," summarized Boncó.
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