Ulises Toirac Stands Firm with Students: "Hands Off University Students"

The prominent Cuban comedian, Ulises Toirac, has once again voiced his support for the student protests against ETECSA's price hikes. He issued a strong statement condemning the repression and censorship of critical voices. "Seeing an enemy in someone who shows you the reality you don't want to face is a way to avoid confronting your own mistakes and shortcomings. Declaring me an 'enemy' is a misuse of power leading to social destruction. I am not your enemy; reality is," he stated.

His post, shared on his Facebook account, included the hashtag #HandsOffUniversityStudents, standing in support of the students who have initiated an unprecedented academic strike from the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Havana. This comes just a day after Toirac was summoned by State Security for a "meeting."

Although he described the encounter as "respectful" and free of overt pressure, many followers on social media criticized these meetings as attempts to intimidate public figures who have spoken out amidst the growing social unrest in Cuba.

Unwavering Support for Protesting Youth

Toirac has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics within the Cuban cultural scene against ETECSA's new pricing structure, which imposes dollarized rates and conditions deemed unfair and exclusionary, especially impacting young people and those without access to remittances. From the outset of the student strike, he has warned that open repression against protestors would incur an "unpayable political cost" for the government.

"Allowing it would be an unprecedented display of political weakness," he wrote earlier, highlighting the regime's crisis point. Through numerous posts, Toirac has called out the Cuban leadership’s disconnect from reality, reliance on outdated rhetoric, and manipulation of official narratives to justify deeply unpopular policies.

"One of the dangers of living in a bubble […] is having no idea what's really happening. And acting accordingly," he penned, in one of the week’s most widely shared social media messages.

A Climate of Tension and Censorship

Toirac's public support is echoed by other notable Cuban cultural figures, such as actresses Susana Pérez and Amarilys Núñez, who have also spoken up for the students and against censorship. Meanwhile, hundreds of citizens, both in Cuba and abroad, have shown their solidarity with the academic strike, as reports of pressure and threats against students from university authorities and state agents continue to surface.

Despite the government's efforts to quell the wave of criticism, including partial tariff adjustments and promises of free access to educational sites exclusively for university students, the youth have rejected these selective privileges and demanded solutions that benefit the entire populace. Toirac’s message is clear: "I am not your enemy; reality is." It's a stark reminder that silencing dissent does not resolve the crisis—it merely postpones the inevitable conflict.