The Cuban priest Alberto Reyes Pías stated that "Cuba is a country in ruins" and advocated for the need for a change in the political system to rebuild the nation, although he warned that no institutional transformation will be enough if the Cuban people do not manage to overcome the wounds accumulated over decades of persecution, divisions, and confrontations.
In the latest installment of his series of reflections, published this Friday on Facebook, the parish priest of Esmeralda, Camagüey, stated that the reconstruction of the country must encompass both its political and social structures as well as the relationships among citizens.
«Cuba is a country in ruins. Over these almost 70 years, the deterioration has become widespread: the houses, the roads, the services, the institutions, the people…», wrote the religious figure.
Reyes believed that the magnitude of this deterioration demands a transformation of the foundations upon which Cuban society operates.
However, the priest warned that replacing institutions and altering laws will not, by itself, guarantee the construction of a different society.
To explain his concern, Reyes recalled the human consequences that, in his opinion, have resulted from decades of political control, conflicts, and divisions within Cuban society.
"Over all these years, we have hurt each other a lot. We have attacked each other, we have spied on each other, we have betrayed each other," he/she expressed.
The priest also mentioned the involvement of Cubans in military conflicts abroad, mandatory military service, and the abuses that, as he reported, some young people have suffered during their service.
He also recalled that generations of Cubans were forced to study on scholarships as a condition for accessing university, which separated them from their families at an early age. He also mentioned the ideological pressures in education and the harassment of individuals due to their religious beliefs.
In his reflection, he also included the persecution and imprisonment of those who have expressed opinions contrary to the political power.
For Reyes, these experiences have left consequences that would not automatically disappear with a potential political transition.
We are a people submerged in material ruins, but even more submerged in our wounds, our resentments, our repressed anger," he wrote.
One of the central arguments of the priest is that a future transformation of Cuba must prevent the desire for justice from becoming an opportunity for retaliation.
“If we do not heal hearts, we risk reproducing tomorrow what we reject today, and confusing justice with revenge,” he warned.
The religious leader insisted that forgiveness should not be used as an argument to ignore the abuses of the past or to prevent those responsible from being held accountable.
"Therefore, justice will be necessary, but so will forgiveness," he stated.
Reyes developed this idea by making a distinction between forgiving and relinquishing responsibility for the damages caused.
"Forgiving does not mean forgetting, nor justifying the unjustifiable, nor renouncing the justice that must be done," he expressed.
According to the explanation, forgiveness involves preventing the suffering experienced from dictating future relationships between individuals.
A society that does not learn to forgive can remain forever imprisoned by its wounds, he warned.
The priest suggested that the reconstruction of Cuba cannot be limited to repairing buildings, roads, or public services; it must also include the restoration of coexistence among people who have maintained deep differences for years.
In one of the most personal passages of his reflection, Reyes recalled a conversation he had some time ago with a young man who kept a list of people he wished to retaliate against.
Far from recommending that painful experiences be forgotten, Reyes suggested that each person acknowledge those who have harmed them and embark on a conscious process of forgiveness.
The religious leader suggested that this exercise should be carried out without denying suffering and, when necessary, by seeking help to address deeper wounds.
His proposal stems from a concern about what might happen after a potential political change, especially if the accumulated resentments turn into new forms of conflict among Cubans.
"The true reconstruction of a country that has been mired in hatred and division begins when we stop focusing on pain and anger," he reflected.
Reyes concluded his message with a call to prevent future generations from inheriting the conflicts and resentments of their parents.
The new publication maintains a critical tone that the priest has developed over the past few months, while also emphasizing the need for reconciliation and forgiveness in light of a potential transformation in Cuba.
Days earlier, Reyes had warned that telling the truth in Cuba has consequences, but that remaining silent also means giving up the chance to build a different future.
In that reflection, titled "I Have Been Thinking About the Price of Truth," he condemned the fear of expressing political opinions and the normalization of silence within Cuban society.
A week earlier, the priest had urged Cubans not to resign themselves to living permanently in conditions of survival, characterized by blackouts, shortages of food and medicine, and a loss of hope for the future.
In that message, he defended the need to regain the ability to envision a different country and argued that political change should be accompanied by a transformation in the attitude of the citizens.
Also during a interview given in September, Reyes advocated for a negotiated political transition that would lead to the departure of the current rulers, rather than merely introducing reforms that would sustain the same system.
The religious leader then suggested that a dialogue table could help establish the conditions for that transition, possibly with the involvement of the Catholic Church.
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