Cubans respond to Díaz-Canel's optimism about a possible return of emigrants to invest in the country

Miguel Díaz-Canel's invitation to Cubans abroad to return to the Island to invest in hotels sparked a wave of skeptical and mocking reactions on social media, where the diaspora responded with irony and conditions that the regime itself cannot fulfill.

In an interview granted to the Spanish outlet elDiario.es from the Palace of the Revolution, the Cuban leader stated: "We have offered this business opportunity to Cubans living abroad. I am confident that many will return to Cuba to pursue business."

The proposal arises following the departure of the hotel chains Meliá and Iberostar from Cuba, pressured by the sanctions of the Trump administration against GAESA, the military conglomerate that controls nearly 40% of the Cuban economy and dominates the hotel sector through its Gaviota division.

The response from the Cubans was immediate and forceful. A resident in Spain made her return conditional with clarity: "I will come back, but only when all the dictators who hinder the progress of our Island are gone. I truly believe that Cuba will once again be the Pearl of the Caribbean."

Other users responded directly to the ruler with phrases that pointed to the core of the problem. "Obstruction: you are there. State Security is still there, GAESA is still there," wrote one. Others were more succinct: "Yes, when you relinquish power" and "But for what, if you don't even have tourism."

Sarcasm also played a significant role. One comment summarized the general sentiment: "They are finished! According to him, the exiles are going to save the revolution, haha... look, pick it up because the dominoes have already stopped." Another internet user was even more blunt: "Now I really see that this man hit his head."

Some pointed out the contradiction of asking the diaspora to fund the regime when it is precisely the power structures that accumulate resources. "It's simple, let Raúl Castro invest the millions and millions of dollars he has pocketed, and let GAESA invest as well; they have only focused on hoarding," wrote a Cuban.

The contrast between the hotel investment proposal and the everyday reality of the Island was captured in the comment of a young father: "In the meantime, I'm waiting for my little cup of milk," a direct reference to the extreme food shortages that Cuban families face.

There were those who expressed their hopes in another direction. "I just hope that President Donald J. Trump allows Cubans to work for the wellbeing of their homeland, that they can have businesses and be able to enter and exit their country whenever they want, without anyone hindering them. Free Cuba!" wrote another commentator.

Díaz-Canel's statements come amid an unprecedented escalation of pressure: on June 4, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control Manuel Anido Cuesta, Alejandro Castro Espín, and Raúl Alejandro Castro Calis, in addition to blocking the Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces and four other Cuban entities.