The Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez stepped forward on Monday to deny that he is the author of a poetic pamphlet that circulated on social media under his name, directed against U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The troubadour did so through his personal blog Segunda Cita, in a brief but impactful post titled "I DENY".
The apocryphal text, circulated on X under the title "Marco Rubio, a poetic sentence for a traitor," accuses the U.S. official of having "sold his cradle for a seat" and describes the economic sanctions against Cuba as a "silent genocide that humanity will not forget." The piece, marked by a lyrical-political tone, concludes with a sentence: "May history judge you, may time condemn you, and may the light of Cuba dazzle you until it blinds your fleeting ambition!"
The style imitated the language that many associate with the troubadour, which facilitated its circulation as if it were authentic before Rodríguez publicly debunked it.
In his statement, the musician was straightforward: "a pamphlet against a U.S. official that is circulating online with my name attached. This is not the first time I've been subjected to this kind of mockery."
In addition to denying authorship, Rodríguez took the opportunity to clarify his stance on how he approaches criticism: "Those who create these forgeries do not realize that I have never fought against people, but against ideas. My songs bear witness to that."
This is not the first time the troubadour has faced this situation. In 2014, he had to deny having written a response to the Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubén Blades regarding Venezuela— that text was actually by Guillermo Rodríguez Rivera— and in 2019, he had to make the same clarification when the writing circulated again.
The new episode occurs at a time of high tension between Havana and Washington. In March 2026, Rodríguez indeed sparked a real controversy by posting on his blog demanding his AKM in response to the possibility of a U.S. military intervention in Cuba, reacting to statements made by Rubio. Days later, in an interview with El País, he clarified that the weapon appearing in a photograph was "a very well-made imitation," not a real weapon.
That background, combined with Rubio's role as a frequent target of criticism in media and networks aligned with the Cuban government, created the perfect environment for the false pamphlet to spread credibly.
The Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez has publicly responded to the Secretary of State several times between May and August of this year, accusing him of seeking a pretext for military aggression against the island, which reflects the level of diplomatic tension in which this episode of disinformation is situated.
The blog "Segunda Cita," the official written communication channel of the troubadour for over a decade, has accumulated over 21 million views and serves as the platform where Rodríguez typically expresses his stance on public controversies.
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