The reaction of Miguel Díaz-Canel to a direct question from the journalist Kristen Welker of NBC News about whether he would be willing to relinquish power sparked a wave of criticism from Cubans on social media.
Many internet users accused the leader of not knowing how to deal with a free press and of prioritizing his position over the well-being of the people.
During the interview, recorded in Havana on April 9 and aired on the same day, Welker directly asked him if he would resign if it meant saving Cuba, in the context of the demands from the Trump administration.
Díaz-Canel responded with visible discomfort: Is this a question of yours or a question from the State Department? and stated that resigning is not part of his vocabulary.
The appearance of the Cuban leader on American television did not go unnoticed and had a significant impact on social media, where the comments were striking.
"A good question and a good journalist; he is used to journalists following a script here and already knows what to respond," wrote a user.
Another pointed out the irony of the president's response: "He is not used to dealing with free journalists. It's absurd to think that everything is manipulated by the United States government; he might as well have asked if the CIA funded the question."
The comparison with the American president was recurrent. "President Trump was elected by the majority of the American people, and you were appointed," noted another comment that summed up the feelings of many.
Several users interpreted Díaz-Canel's reaction as proof that his public appearances have always been controlled.
"That reaction is clear evidence that all the interviews conducted with him previously are nothing more than a scripted performance, and everything has been heavily edited. None of them are prepared for a real interview," wrote one person.
Others were more direct in their message to the leader: "Sir, a question is answered with an answer, not with another question. Do not hide any longer and resign so that the Cuban people can live in political and economic freedom, because you know well that the people do not want you."
The lack of democratic legitimacy of the regime was another central point of criticism. "He doesn't know what freedom of expression is. She, as a journalist, asks whatever questions she likes," summarized a comment.
Some appealed to the moral responsibility of the ruler: "A good leader who loves his people, respects himself, and has honor, upon seeing a war that cannot be won, surrenders, thereby saving millions of lives."
Sarcasm also had its place: "That question should be asked of the owner of the circus, not the clown from Canel," wrote another user, while someone else summarized the scene with a phrase: "He got tongue-tied, the thing is he didn't have the speech paper."
The interview takes place while Cuba is undergoing its worst economic crisis in decades, with power outages of up to 22 hours daily, a GDP decline of 23% since 2019, and widespread shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.
The Trump administration has imposed more than 240 new sanctions on the regime since January 2026 and demands as a condition for any negotiations the resignation of Díaz-Canel, the release of political prisoners, and the holding of multiparty elections, demands that the leader rejected outright during the interview.
"No wants to relinquish power at all. The well-being of his people takes a back seat," concluded a comment that encapsulated what thousands of Cubans think about the one who governs the island without having been elected by anyone.
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