The acclaimed Cuban filmmaker Lester Hamlet has issued a striking critique of Miguel Díaz-Canel, challenging not only his legitimacy as a leader but also the leadership void that, according to him, characterizes contemporary Cuba. His pointed message was released on Sunday, coinciding with the leader's 65th birthday.
In a nation where for decades the leader has been exalted as the people's guide, Hamlet's words reverberate as a jolt to the core of a society that he claims has been driven into isolation, political orphanhood, and collective frustration. "Díaz-Canel, who lacks genuine leadership, has no followers. He was placed there," the director states, diagnosing rather than denouncing, highlighting a leader who, in his view, serves the interests of those who installed him rather than the will of the people.
For Hamlet, the Cuban crisis is not simply about material shortages or political repression. The real collapse, he asserts, is moral and symbolic. "The worst part is the absence of leadership. There is no voice," he laments.
He admits, "At least I've experienced mirages with some people," but today, Cuba stands alone. "They have no one to believe in," he adds. The video, shared on social media without any context, emerges as a cry from within, an open-camera confession. It's not just a critique of Díaz-Canel but of a system that, according to the filmmaker, has left the Cuban people without guides, without direction, without a real project.
"They were led to believe that defending a common project was paramount. And no one cared for the family. No one created wealth to support their family, no one developed... In pursuit of a future that remained stuck. In a promise. That's frustrating," Hamlet concludes.
What amplifies the impact of this intervention is the timing—on Díaz-Canel's birthday. A day typically surrounded by praise, propaganda, and leadership adulation in official media. However, Hamlet flips the script, delivering a fierce critique instead of congratulations.
The filmmaker, who arrived in the United States in 2022 after claiming he was exiled by the Cuban government, emphasized in the brief clip that the people have neither reasons nor motives to follow him. "He doesn't owe his position to the people. He's going to protect those who put him there. It's like a snake biting its own tail," he concludes, exposing a self-contained power logic, impervious to popular legitimacy.
Hamlet's critique does not come from the fringes but from within the core of the Cuban cultural system. For years, he was a prominent figure in state cinema and television, directing films like Casa Vieja and telenovelas like Tú. However, his relationship with official institutions progressively deteriorated. In 2021, his film Casa Vieja was banned from Cuban television on Culture Day without clear explanations.
Exploring Lester Hamlet's Critique of Díaz-Canel's Leadership
What does Lester Hamlet criticize about Díaz-Canel's leadership?
Lester Hamlet criticizes Díaz-Canel for lacking genuine leadership and not representing the people's will. He argues that Díaz-Canel serves the interests of those who installed him in power rather than the Cuban populace.
Why did Hamlet choose Díaz-Canel's birthday to release his critique?
Hamlet released his critique on Díaz-Canel's birthday to contrast the typical praise and propaganda surrounding the leader on that day with a stark critique, flipping the script on the traditional narrative.
How has Lester Hamlet's relationship with Cuban institutions changed over time?
Over the years, Lester Hamlet's relationship with Cuban official institutions deteriorated. Once a prominent figure in state cinema and television, his works like Casa Vieja were eventually banned from television without clear reasons.