The Cuban journalist Suleidy Peñate Ramos, exiled in Portugal after a long career at Perlavisión and Canal Habana, two Cuban regional channels, has published a 23-second video on social media in which she rejects an idea that was starting to gain traction among some content creators: that the world owes an apology to the Cuban people.
"The world does not owe an apology to the Cuban people. Their rulers owe them an apology. They are the ones who owe an apology and compensation for damages," stated the communicator in a video posted on Facebook.
Peñate Ramos responded in this way to an influencer —whom he did not identify— who had stated on social media that the international community should apologize to the Cuban people.
His message received a swift response from users. Within a few hours, the video garnered nearly 15,000 views and hundreds of positive reactions, along with dozens of comments that supported his argument.
Subsequently, the journalist expanded her reflection to include those who have had to leave the island.
"And when I speak of the Cuban people, I also refer to the more than one million Cubans who are not in Cuba. Even from a distance, we deeply feel everything that our families, friends, and even strangers within Cuba are experiencing," he wrote.
The responses from his followers reflected strong support for that vision.
"Well said, clear and loud, the government is the one who destroyed such a beautiful country. That same government owes thousands of apologies," commented a user.
Another believed that responsibility transcends the borders of Cuba.
"I believe that both the Cuban misgovernment and the governments of other countries that remain silent in the face of the chaos are complicit," he wrote.
A voice that knows the official channels
Peñate Ramos developed a significant part of her professional career at Perlavisión, the municipal television center in Cienfuegos, and at Canal Habana, where she served as the Information Director before settling in Lisbon.
From exile, he has joined other voices in independent journalism and content creation that hold the Cuban regime responsible for the economic, social, and political decline of the island.
Your message aligns with a debate that has gained momentum in recent months. In March, the Cuban influencer Anna Bensi also argued that the main responsible party for the suffering of Cubans is the political system itself established on the island.
A claim that also seeks restitution
Beyond the symbolic component, Peñate Ramos raised the need for "compensation for damages," a demand that has also been supported by human rights organizations.
The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, for example, has proposed the creation of an international compensation fund for the victims of the regime, financed with assets and properties from Cuban state enterprises.
The journalist's statements come amid the largest exodus in Cuba's recent history. Since 2021, more than a million Cubans have left the country, a massive emigration that has transformed the demographic and social reality of the island.
This phenomenon has also impacted official media. In May, Canal Habana announced a public call to hire journalists, a reflection of the shortage of professionals affecting the state press system.
Meanwhile, the Cuban government has not acknowledged any responsibility for the crisis facing the country nor has it proposed mechanisms for reparations for the victims. On the contrary, national and international organizations continue to denounce the increase in repression against journalists, activists, and opponents, while the regime seeks to attract investments from the diaspora through new economic measures.
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