The Cuban regime tries to curb mockery of Díaz-Canel by defending the interview where he spoke about "utopia."

The Cuban regime's propaganda apparatus has added a new element to its damage control operation following the scandal ignited by Miguel Díaz-Canel's comment about "utopia" during an interview with RT en Español.

Razones de Cuba —a digital media outlet linked to State Security— attempted to salvage the image of the ruler by citing the private entrepreneur and deputy Carlos Miguel Pérez Reyes as an authoritative source.

The official portal shared a post titled "The meme vs. reality: what Díaz-Canel really said (and no one replicated)," based on a publication by the deputy in which he lists the "10 most important messages" from the mentioned interview. In summary, they would be:

1. Error acknowledgment: Díaz-Canel admitted that previous reforms had design, implementation, and communication failures.
2. Reforms in Progress: It was assured that more than 170 transformations have already been identified and that 121 will start to be implemented by the end of July.
3. Change the model: He suggested that the goal is to transform the economy and not just manage the crisis.
4. Generate wealth: He defended the need to promote production and create wealth before distributing it with criteria of social justice.
5. Economic crisis: Acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, characterized by fuel shortages, import issues, and financial restrictions.
6. Rectify if necessary: It was noted that the measures may be adjusted if they do not yield the expected results.
7. Social protection: He emphasized that the reforms must maintain support for the most vulnerable sectors.
8. Foreign investment: It was confirmed that Cuba will continue to seek international capital as part of its economic strategy.
9. Bet on dialogue: He stated he is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States and other actors, as long as there is mutual respect.
10. The "utopia" was not the focus: The author argues that the controversy surrounding that word overshadowed the true content of the interview, which was centered on economic reforms, production, investment, and structural changes.

Pérez Reyes emphasized that Cubans "lately end up discussing 10% or less of a story and ignoring the other 90%." He implicitly praised the content that he considers relevant in the statements of the leader.

Who is Carlos Miguel Pérez Reyes?

Pérez Reyes is a deputy in the National Assembly representing the municipality of Playa in Havana. He is also the founder of the tech SME Dofleini S.R.L..

On several occasions, he has made specific criticisms of the Cuban economic model, asserting that transformation cannot remain as mere slogans and that it depends on three things: "people, energy, and leadership."

However, he is not a person who operates outside the management of the regime nor does he want radical changes in Cuba. Last March, he reaffirmed his unconditional support for Díaz-Canel with the phrase "I stand by my president."

Why is the regime concerned about memes regarding utopia and Díaz-Canel?

It all began on July 20, when Díaz-Canel responded to the question of whether Cuba could emerge from the economic crisis with a philosophical metaphor: "Utopia is on the horizon. When we take two steps, utopia moves back two steps. And the horizon moves forward by ten steps. What is the purpose of utopia? To keep walking."

He inaccurately paraphrased a statement from the late Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano, and his words went viral immediately, generating dozens of memes.

Díaz-Canel's statements left Cubans with a clear idea that the regime lacks concrete solutions to overcome the crisis.

On July 24, Cubadebate attempted to defend itself with an article titled "The Utopia of Díaz-Canel, the Same One That Brought Us Here." It Proved Counterproductive. The headline was interpreted as a reflection on seven decades of Castroism.