The renowned Cuban comedian Ulises Toirac has sparked a significant wave of reactions on social media after harshly criticizing Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, the Cuban Minister of Labor and Social Security. This came in response to her recent public denial of the existence of beggars in Cuba. Toirac did more than just challenge the minister's controversial statements; he boldly identified himself as a beggar and elaborated on why he feels this way.
Toirac struck a nerve by pointing out that countless Cubans narrowly avoid poverty with support from family and friends, both within and outside the country. “We may not wear ragged clothes or have calloused hands like beggars, but most of us do not survive on our own earnings,” he commented on a post where he labeled himself as a beggar.
He further added, “I must be a disguised beggar evading taxes, but I couldn't make it to the end of the month without help. Very few can in Cuba.” The hashtag #YoSoyMendigo was used not as an act of self-pity, but as a collective call to action.
Challenging the Official Narrative
Toirac's message was a stark social warning, declaring that the majority of Cubans live in conditions so precarious that they verge on indigence, even if it isn't immediately apparent. His message was blunt and direct, highlighting the Cuban government's failure to provide a sustainable economy and decent living conditions for its citizens.
With a blend of irony and sharpness, Toirac mocked the government's attempts to gloss over the nation's issues and criticized the disconnect between authorities and the everyday lives of ordinary Cubans. “There is a soul indifference that borders on something worse than contempt. A detachment from reality that exceeds ignorance. A desire to impose a view that transforms from struggle into absurdity,” he wrote in another post.
A Call for Transparency and Accountability
In a satirical twist, Toirac dismantled the official narrative with a parody involving spies and mercenaries. “I believe there are many spies from the Empire trying to give a false impression of the country. They eat from garbage cans [...] beg for alms... But it's a lie. It's a foreign secret services operation to discredit the country using mercenaries,” he remarked.
The comedian also questioned official statistics and the comfort from which disconnected speeches are made. “You need to visit homes, crunch the numbers on salary versus cost of living. You need to feel these so-called 'non-beggar' hands, and stop living so miserably on concocted positions based on self-suggestions,” he observed.
In a combative tone, Toirac all but called for the minister’s resignation or even imprisonment, pointing out the pathetic euphemisms used by officials to describe unpleasant realities. "It's not just about appearances. It's legally indefensible to speak this way about what they call 'vulnerable', because in Cuba, it doesn't mean the same as elsewhere. These are just pretenses," he concluded.
“Some phrases deserve years in prison: 'the divers are in the water' is one of them...,” the comedian stated in the comments of one of his posts. His statements have gone viral on social media, resonating with hundreds of Cubans who strongly identify with his viewpoint and have even adopted the #YoSoyMendigo sentiment as their own.
Ulises Toirac is not alone in his serious stance; other comedians like Luis Silva and Rigoberto Ferrera have also felt compelled to address statements that have left millions of Cubans, across the political spectrum, deeply concerned. Actor Luis Alberto García expressed his outrage, emphasizing the worry that no one at the Commission was able to oppose such assertions.
Understanding the Public Outcry Over Cuban Policies
What prompted Ulises Toirac's criticism of the Cuban minister?
Ulises Toirac criticized the Cuban minister after she publicly denied the existence of beggars in Cuba, prompting him to describe himself as a beggar and highlight the precarious living conditions of many Cubans.
How did Ulises Toirac express his disagreement with the government's narrative?
Toirac utilized satire and irony to challenge the official narrative, using a parody involving spies and mercenaries to critique the government's depiction of the country's situation.
What is the significance of the hashtag #YoSoyMendigo?
The hashtag #YoSoyMendigo, used by Toirac, serves as a collective call to action, highlighting the plight of many Cubans who live in near-indigent conditions despite appearances.