A statement by Miguel Díaz-Canel in an interview with the Puerto Rican weekly Claridad sparked a flurry of criticism and ridicule on social media. The Cuban leader asserted that the country needs to “unleash productive forces so that the country creates more wealth”, and the public response was swift: hundreds of Cubans reminded him that they have been waiting for exactly that for 67 years.
The video, published on the official page of the Presidency of Cuba, amassed hundreds of comments, the vast majority filled with indignation, irony, and frustration.
The most recurring idea among users was: what wealth is being referred to? “Create more wealth, you say? If all that Cuba has is poverty and regression that has been growing for decades,” wrote a user, who also pointed out that the children of the leaders live like millionaires in capitalist countries, specifically mentioning the stepson of the president, who resides in Madrid.
Another comment was a question loaded with sarcasm: "And who had tied them up?" referring directly to the fact that it is the Communist Party itself that has kept the Cuban economy chained for decades. Along the same lines, another internet user wrote: "They have been unleashing the productive forces for years. Just look at how hard it has been for our 'sacrificed leaders' to untie those knots."
Díaz-Canel's mention of "social justice" elicited equally strong reactions. "Social justice? Can we call it that when some people have everything and others don't even have water to bathe?" asked a user who described 90 consecutive hours of blackouts in their municipality. Another wrote bitterly: "I've been hearing the same speech for 60 years. What is he talking about? Meanwhile, life goes on."
Another comment took the form of a poem that called for "the socialism in which the leaders live, where there is no scarcity, where there is no hunger, and even luxury dishes with imported drinks are consumed daily," concluding with a phrase that encapsulated the feelings of many: "I want for my people the socialism of the leaders, without the leaders."
Several users pointed out the contradiction of discussing wealth in a country without electricity or water. "Without a stable energy system and without fuel, what wealth are you talking about, Mr. President?" asked one. Another was more direct: "It's been 67 years of the same rhetoric, looking toward a future that doesn’t exist, because what doesn't exist in this country are leaders who think of the people first."
Díaz-Canel's defense of socialism also failed to convince anyone. "Socialism and they live in capitalism," summarized one user. Another pointed to the core of the problem: "What they are really defending is staying in power to continue enriching themselves while the people starve."
The statements come at the worst energy moment in recent Cuban history: the electricity generation deficit reached a record of 2,211 MW on June 30, with nine out of the 16 thermoelectric plants out of service, and protests with pots and pans have spread across several provinces due to power outages lasting over 20 hours daily.
In the same interview with Claridad, Díaz-Canel dismissed any betrayal of socialism and attributed the crisis to the U.S. embargo, but Cubans on social media did not believe him. "You have been robbing the wealth for 67 years," was the response that best captured the mood of those who listened to him.
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