In the wake of a major crisis that clearly stems from the company's own failures rather than its customers, Cuban comedian Ulises Toirac offered a scathing critique, suggesting that the president of ETECSA, Tania Velázquez, should have begun her televised address with a resignation. This cutting remark was part of Toirac's detailed dissection of Velázquez's speech, which followed the announcement of controversial new pricing by the state-run telecom monopoly.
Toirac shared his analysis on Facebook, combining irony, criticism, and economic insights into the ongoing collapse of Cuba's telecommunications sector. He noted that Velázquez's speech largely confirmed what was already known, offering no substantial updates on the company's condition. His commentary touched on several key issues, including student protests and the official rhetoric of "protecting the university sector," as well as the absurdity of providing services in a currency lacking real value.
With a touch of sarcasm, Toirac highlighted the complicit silence found in public letters from university students: "This is just to show that you can protest with permission," he quipped. He also sharply criticized the rationale for setting tariffs in Cuban pesos when operations are conducted in U.S. dollars, pointing out the impracticality: “With 11,000 Cuban pesos, you can't even buy half a byte in the connectivity market,” he stated emphatically.
The comedian argued that the core problem is not about debts or intermediaries but lies in the fact that "they negotiate with real money and charge with fake money." He accused ETECSA of overwhelming the system by approving more user lines than it could handle, attributing the subpar service quality to the company's own institutional greed. “ETECSA is responsible for the overcrowding of internet users. They signed up each user for their line. It was the company, not something that fell from the sky,” he emphasized.
Toirac's post adds to the mounting public discontent following ETECSA's latest price hike, which limits top-ups in Cuban pesos and favors dollar-denominated packages. Meanwhile, the comedy group La Leña del Humor, known for its sharp satire on Cuban life, continued to entertain and provoke thought with a mock promotion for their "new show": "Downloading with ETECSA," a direct jab at the current connectivity prices and technological limitations faced by Cubans.
Ulises Toirac's Critique on ETECSA's Crisis
What was Ulises Toirac's main critique of ETECSA's address?
Ulises Toirac criticized ETECSA's address for not taking responsibility for the crisis and suggested that the president should have resigned. He also pointed out the lack of new information provided in the address.
How did Toirac highlight the absurdity of the currency used for services?
Toirac mocked the use of Cuban pesos for setting tariffs while operations are conducted in U.S. dollars, stating that 11,000 pesos couldn't even purchase half a byte in the connectivity market.