As public opposition mounts against the steep price hike implemented by Cuba's state-run telecommunications company, Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA), the company's president, Tania Velázquez, has suggested a potential "widespread failure" of the national telecom system. Velázquez made this statement during the presidential podcast "Desde la Presidencia," aired on state radio and television this Thursday. The program, billed as a "critical analysis," featured discussions with Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel and Deputy Minister of Communications Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández regarding ETECSA's recent controversial decisions, which have sparked student protests and criticism, even from typically pro-government sectors.
"We have been encountering certain failures in this infrastructure that could lead us down a path where we foresee a potential widespread failure," Velázquez stated. She warned that the repercussions of such a failure might include an inability to make phone calls, send messages, or access educational and work institutions, painting a dire picture of a near-total telecommunications breakdown in the island.
Many are skeptical of this narrative, suspecting it might be a pretext crafted by the regime to justify the widely criticized pricing measures. New data plans now exceed 11,000 CUP, while local currency recharges are limited to 360 CUP per month. Simultaneously, ETECSA offers packages in U.S. dollars, available only through international cards or the MiTransfer Wallet, further marginalizing the digitally excluded.
The podcast on June 5 was broadcast amid an indefinite academic strike led by university students, notably from the University of Havana. These students are demanding not only equitable connectivity but also genuine internet access for all Cubans. In response, the government has called for unity against what it describes as a "media war" instigated by "enemies of the system." Students have gone so far as to demand the resignation of the national president of the FEU, Ricardo Rodríguez González, accusing him of failing to advocate for student interests.
This program aired just four days after Miguel Díaz-Canel broke his silence with a brief post on the social network X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging public dissatisfaction but offering no concrete solutions. "We have been following the opinions, criticisms, and dissatisfaction of our people concerning the measures announced by ETECSA," he wrote on June 1.
Understanding ETECSA's Telecom System Crisis
What is causing the public outcry against ETECSA?
The public outcry is primarily due to the significant increase in data plan prices and the limitations on local currency recharges, which have been viewed as unfair and exclusionary.
How has the Cuban government responded to the protests?
The Cuban government has called for unity against what it terms a "media war" and has been trying to discredit the protests, labeling them as the actions of "enemies of the system."
What are the implications of a potential widespread telecom failure in Cuba?
A widespread telecom failure could lead to an inability to make phone calls, send messages, or access essential services such as education and work, effectively crippling communication on the island.