Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel has pointed fingers at what he describes as an intense media manipulation campaign on social networks for the critical reaction of thousands of Cuban students to the recent telecommunication rate hike. Speaking on the official platform "Desde la Presidencia," Díaz-Canel accused certain platforms of attempting to tarnish the revolution's image and sow distrust within key societal sectors.
In a recent address, Díaz-Canel acknowledged a critical review by the Party and the Ministry of Communications regarding the errors that led to "disagreements and misunderstandings" among the populace. However, instead of fully accepting responsibility, he argued that these mistakes have been exploited by foreign entities orchestrating what he termed an offensive "laden with lies" aimed at sectors like university students.
The Cuban president claimed that the campaign has manipulated images and videos of student activities to falsely portray them as acts of opposition or political distancing. According to Díaz-Canel, these depictions have been distorted to align young people with a narrative of governmental rupture, ignoring the fact that students have voiced their disapproval directly against the regime and the rate increase.
During his appearance on the "Desde la Presidencia" podcast, Díaz-Canel defended the controversial phone rate increase implemented by ETECSA. He justified the measure as a necessary step to enhance the quality of telecommunication services across the island. He maintained that the price hike is essential for modernizing infrastructure and dismissed claims that it represents a policy of neglect towards the population, despite widespread backlash on social media and among students.
The president asserted that the adjustment is crucial for sustaining the necessary investments to develop the sector. Concurrently, ETECSA warned of a potential widespread service failure, which many users interpreted as a preemptive tactic to excuse post-rate hike deficiencies. The official narrative continues to emphasize that such measures are commonplace "around the world," and insists that dissatisfaction stems more from misinformation than from management errors or insensitivity to public demands, as reiterated in another of Díaz-Canel's speeches.
Understanding the Controversy Over Cuba's Phone Rate Increase
What is the reason behind the phone rate hike in Cuba?
According to Díaz-Canel, the phone rate hike is intended to improve telecommunication services by modernizing the infrastructure and sustaining necessary investments in the sector.
How have Cuban students reacted to the rate hike?
Many students have expressed strong opposition to the rate hike, voicing their discontent directly against the government and the increased costs imposed by ETECSA.
What is Díaz-Canel's stance on the student protests?
Díaz-Canel attributes the protests to a foreign-led media campaign that has manipulated student activities to falsely indicate political opposition and distancing from the government.