Official spokesperson Humberto López Suárez once again engaged in his typical propaganda antics, this time targeting the exile of opposition figure José Daniel Ferrer García. Ferrer arrived in Miami on October 13 alongside his family, following years of imprisonment, repression, and torture at the hands of the Cuban regime. Rather than showing any sensitivity or objectivity towards the harrowing ordeal of forced exile—which numerous international organizations have condemned as a severe human rights violation—López Suárez chose to play with words and publicly mock the situation.
In a social media post, the host of television programs controlled by Cuban Counterintelligence compared the language used by the Cuban regime's Foreign Ministry to "report" Ferrer's exile with that of CiberCuba. He wrote: “Royal Spanish Academy: ABANDONMENT: departure, leaving, withdrawal, renunciation, desertion, nonsense. EXILE: isolation, seclusion, confinement. So, what is it?” He shared images of the Foreign Ministry's statement and CiberCuba's report titled “Cuban Regime Comments on José Daniel Ferrer's Exile.”
The message manipulated the facts and their meanings, insinuating that Ferrer's departure was not exile but a “desertion,” in a petty and shameful attempt to undermine his struggle and delegitimize his departure from the country. It was a futile rhetorical strategy aimed at sowing doubt, discrediting, and ridiculing.
The Cuban regime officially confirmed through a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) that Ferrer's departure occurred at the request of the United States government and with the consent of the opposition figure himself. Ferrer publicly stated he made this decision under extreme pressure to protect his wife and children. It was not a voluntary choice but a coerced action disguised as a formality.
Adding to the semantic cynicism, López Suárez resurrected the old manipulated video used by the propaganda machinery to mock Ferrer: a video allegedly showing him banging his head against a table during a State Security interrogation. This footage, widely questioned for its authenticity and out-of-context use, resurfaced on social media profiles of those known as “cyber catfish” (agents serving the regime's misinformation campaigns) with derogatory memes.
These contents circulated among pro-government accounts, seeking to reinforce the narrative that Ferrer is a fraud, a “madman,” or a foreign puppet, perversely trivializing the years of imprisonment, beatings, isolation, and death threats he endured.
Humberto López Suárez's moral standing was once again laid bare: a communicator serving State Security using his platform to crush, demean, and dehumanize the dissidents. His actions are not journalistic; they are an extension of repression with a televised face.
Meanwhile, Ferrer is now on American soil with his family, embarking on a new chapter marked by the dignity of resistance and the harsh reality of being forced into exile.
Insights into José Daniel Ferrer's Exile
What prompted José Daniel Ferrer's exile to the United States?
José Daniel Ferrer's exile to the United States was prompted by extreme pressure from the Cuban regime, with the departure being facilitated at the request of the U.S. government. Ferrer made the decision to protect his wife and children, though it was not a voluntary choice but rather an imposed action.
How did Humberto López Suárez react to Ferrer's exile?
Humberto López Suárez responded to Ferrer's exile with a semantic game, mocking the situation on social media by comparing official statements with those of CiberCuba, and insinuating that Ferrer's departure was not exile but a "desertion."
What was the significance of the manipulated video involving José Daniel Ferrer?
The manipulated video allegedly showing Ferrer injuring himself during a State Security interrogation was used by the Cuban regime's propaganda to ridicule and delegitimize him. Its authenticity has been widely questioned, and it was used out of context to attack Ferrer's credibility.