Rosa María Payá's Appointment to IACHR Sparks Controversy

The Deputy Director General for the United States at Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), Johana Tablada de la Torre, has ignited widespread backlash after branding activist Rosa María Payá as a "handpicked" appointee following her recent election as a commissioner for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS. "The Secretary of State's handpicked candidate and self-proclaimed human rights defender is one of the most prominent supporters of the violation of the Cuban people's human rights," Tablada stated on the social platform X (formerly Twitter), echoing a defamatory post by Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.

This derogatory remark is part of a broader offensive by Cuba's diplomatic apparatus against the opposition figure's election. In a similar vein, Rodríguez Parrilla accused the United States of "blackmailing" OAS member states to impose a "mercenary," while an official MINREX statement declared that Havana "does not recognize any authority" of the regional organization.

Irony Backfires on Cuban Regime

What was intended as a propaganda attack ultimately backfired on the Cuban regime. The term "handpicked" is commonly used among Cubans—both on the island and abroad—to describe the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, who was directly appointed by Raúl Castro without free elections or genuine public participation.

Numerous social media users responded with irony and direct criticism. "Oh, but does this fish know what 'handpicked' means?" one user wrote. Another was more blunt: "The one who was handpicked is Cuba's dictator, who was not elected in free elections."

They also recalled the unsolved murders of Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero in 2012, under circumstances questioned by the IACHR itself, linking the incident to the regime's systematic repression of peaceful dissent. "Payá gathered signatures for a referendum. You killed him. That was the peaceful way to end the dictatorship," a user noted.

Others openly mocked Tablada's rhetorical slip: "Did someone say handpicked? Were you calling me?" wrote a user, accompanying the fictional dialogue with a photo of Díaz-Canel. Other replies included, "Speaking of handpicked... Canel," and "The fasting is affecting you, Johana," directed at the regime's diplomat.

Tablada: A Career in Propaganda

Tablada de la Torre is widely recognized for her unwavering defense of the Cuban regime in international forums. Her track record includes denying evidence of Chinese espionage bases in Cuba, attacking U.S. diplomat Mike Hammer, and a long string of statements aligned with the official narrative that solely blames the U.S. embargo for the country's issues.

Her role, far from traditional diplomacy, seems more tied to institutional propaganda. The contradiction in using the term "handpicked" — particularly when referring to an activist elected through an OAS vote — not only undermines her credibility but also highlights the double standards with which the regime judges democratic processes.

Rosa María Payá: Democratic Legitimacy and Support

Unlike the leadership imposed through inheritance within Cuba's communist structure, Rosa María Payá was nominated by the U.S. government and elected by a vote of OAS member states, granting her democratic legitimacy and institutional support. Her election was celebrated by numerous human rights organizations and freedom advocates across the region.

In light of this, the disparagements by Cuban diplomacy reveal not just intolerance, but a deep-seated fear that dissenting voices might hold positions of power in international bodies. The virulent and contradictory nature of the response only underscores the regime's discomfort with a figure who represents an alternative to authoritarianism.