A young Spaniard, who was apprehended for his involvement in the unrest during the recent metal strike in Cádiz, has been welcomed with honors in Cuba by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP). While this scene may seem like a noble gesture of support for social causes, it starkly contrasts with the reality in Cuba, where protestors are deemed enemies of the state.
After being detained at Madrid's airport, the young man's arrest was initially treated as a potential escape attempt by the Spanish police. However, he was eventually released without any precautionary measures, allowing him to travel to Cuba with his wife as part of their honeymoon. Upon arrival, he was elevated to a political symbol, according to reports from CádizDirecto.
"We've been made to feel like defenders of a cause, not criminals," the Spaniard's wife remarked after they were officially welcomed by ICAP officials, led by Rigoberto Zarza Ross, the director for Europe.
Contradictions in Cuba's Political Stance
The issue isn't with the reception given to this couple or their cause—workers’ demands and union organization are fundamental rights that must be respected. The real question lies in why the Cuban regime applauds such activism abroad but imprisons, represses, and stigmatizes Cubans who engage in the same activities at home.
The same Cuba that extends hospitality to this Spanish individual has labeled its own citizens as "mercenaries" for peacefully protesting on July 11, 2021. Many of these protestors are still serving sentences of up to 20 years. No official entity has referred to them as "fighters" or offered them a "warm welcome."
"After everything we've been through, this feels like breathing fresh air," the woman added—a statement that might sound ironic to many Cubans lacking freedom of movement, an independent judiciary, or the right to protest without being criminalized.
From Detention at Barajas to "Friend of the Cuban People"
The young man's detention at Barajas occurred during the police operation "Fuego," following the metal sector protests in Cádiz, which resulted in over twenty arrests. Although accused of public disorder and assaulting authorities, no precautionary measures were imposed, allowing him to travel.
The couple arrived in Cuba over the weekend and was greeted with "affection and respect," as they described. "Here, we've been treated as fighters," they said. For ICAP, this gesture fits within its traditional support for "persecuted social movements" worldwide.
Nevertheless, this narrative starkly contrasts with the Cuban regime's internal policy, which harshly suppresses any attempt at independent organization, from human rights activists to journalists and ordinary citizens seeking change.
This isn't the first time the Cuban government has politically leveraged its hospitality toward foreigners. It has welcomed members of the Zapatista movement, former Latin American militants, and more recently, Basque and Catalan political exiles. For many, this is seen as a propaganda tactic to bolster its image as a "champion of just causes," while ignoring its own citizens' struggles.
The case of this tourist turned symbol of "resistance" seems to follow the same logic. A disrupted honeymoon story transformed into a political showcase to polish the image of a system that denies its citizens the same rights it champions for others.
This episode once again highlights the double standards of the Cuban regime. The point is not to question the legitimacy of social struggles in Spain or to diminish the value of supporting workers' causes. It's about exposing a systemic hypocrisy: official Cuba praises foreign activists while condemning its own citizens for daring to speak out.
Examining Cuba's Political Double Standards
Why did the Cuban regime honor the Spanish detainee?
The Cuban regime honored the Spanish detainee to align itself with social movements abroad, thereby enhancing its image as a supporter of just causes, despite its repressive policies at home.
How does Cuba's treatment of foreign activists differ from its own citizens?
While Cuba extends hospitality and praise to foreign activists, it often represses its own citizens who engage in similar activism, subjecting them to imprisonment and stigmatization.
What is the significance of the Spanish couple's visit to Cuba?
The visit highlights the Cuban regime's use of foreign guests for political purposes, turning personal stories into propaganda tools to distract from its internal contradictions.