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Cubadebate posted on Facebook a promotion for the television program "Cuadrando la Caja," which is dedicated to analyzing the situation of the international working class, the impact of "imperialist wars," and Trump's trade war on workers around the world. The post sparked a flood of responses from Cubans who pointed out the contradiction: while the program addresses the global working class, the Cuban one survives in conditions of extreme misery.
The program is hosted by Marxlenin Pérez Valdés, a doctor in Philosophical Sciences and a professor of Marxism at the University of Havana, whose name is itself a tribute to Marx and Lenin. The post included an image of a demonstration in Spain with banners against Trump, Zionism, and NATO, and raised questions such as “What is the current situation of the working class internationally?”.
The response from Cubans was immediate and forceful. "Forget about the international working class and focus on ours," wrote one user. Another pointed out, "In any country in the world, workers earn more than in Cuba." A third was more direct: "The situation of workers in Cuba is the worst of all in these 67 years."
The numbers support that outrage. The average salary in Cuba is just 6,685 pesos per month, equivalent to about 16 dollars at the official exchange rate, while the cost of living exceeds 50,000 pesos per month, according to economist Javier Pérez Capdevila. The minimum wage does not even reach five dollars. The average salary barely covers 13% of basic needs.
Several commentators also pointed to GAESA, the business conglomerate of the Armed Forces: "When will they use the 18,000 million of GAESA to purchase fuel and renovate the entire electric system of Cuba?" one asked. The conglomerate has accumulated this amount without accounting to Parliament or any oversight body, while the country suffers blackouts of up to 15 hours a day.
The publication came days after the May 1, 2026, when the regime celebrated Labor Day with an event marked by a distinctly warlike tone at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune —not in the Plaza de la Revolución, due to "austerity"— and with low attendance. The slogans included "To die for the homeland is to live."
This is not the first controversy involving Marxlenin Pérez Valdés. In December 2025, he referred to those criticizing the food shortages as "gusanos" and suggested reducing the consumption of rice and potatoes because they are "not native products." In March 2026, he undertook a tour of 18 Spanish cities to defend the regime before leftist groups in Europe.
"You are the greatest impact on the working class; you have destroyed a country and its people. The people of Cuba are what should concern you, hypocrites," summarized a commentator reflecting the widespread reaction to a publication that, for thousands of Cubans, accurately portrays the double standards of 67 years of dictatorship.
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