Raúl Torres Criticizes Young Cuban Troubadour for Calling Havana's Regime a "Dictatorship"

Raúl Torres, a staunch supporter of the Cuban government, took to Facebook to publish a lengthy critique aimed at a young Cuban troubadour who recently emigrated. In his post, Torres accused the musician of being "ungrateful" and took issue with his description of Havana's regime as a "dictatorship."

Torres disclosed that the musician, whom he did not name, had sent him a private message admitting that "one of the hardest things in life is to be consistent," and confessed that he had not always been politically consistent while in Cuba. The young artist expressed a desire to avoid repeating past mistakes and pledged to "speak the truth freely whenever he can substantiate it correctly."

In the same message, the émigré troubadour expressed admiration for Silvio Rodríguez’s music but criticized the man himself: "Silvio is a great composer, but he's not a god, Raúl, and his stance could greatly benefit Cuba, yet it ends up causing great harm." He also stated that he did not align with "either socialism or communism" and hoped for the downfall of "the dictatorship in Cuba, the one that separates me from my mother, the one that keeps the country on its knees."

Defense of the Regime

Writing from Canada, Raúl Torres responded with a lengthy defense of the Cuban regime. "Consistency isn't just about being true to how you feel today but also to what you've lived and those who made it possible," he argued. He reminded the young musician that the Revolution he now calls a "dictatorship" was the same one that, decades ago, opened schools and universities to the poor and Black Cubans, who were marginalized under neocolonial capitalism.

Torres emphasized that the achievements of the Revolution should not be dismissed or labeled as a dictatorship. "These are not the accomplishments of a dictatorship but of profound social justice achieved," he claimed, justifying Cuba's model as a response to "the ongoing hostility of an empire that cannot tolerate the self-determination of peoples." Furthermore, he asserted that the system was defined "not out of dogmatic whim, but as a survival act against a suffocating blockade lasting six decades."

Support for Silvio Rodríguez

Torres also defended Silvio Rodríguez, asserting that "Silvio isn't an abstract entity; he's a product of this Revolution that shaped his songs and gave him a platform to speak to the world." He cautioned the young troubadour against building his exile "by mirroring the same positions everyone expresses when they leave" and urged him, "Just be consistent and don't be ungrateful from the position you now hold."

Concluding his post with a paternalistic tone, Torres said, "I've always considered you a brother, and anyone who insults you personally in front of me won't fare well, because I'll defend you immediately." He mentioned his upcoming return to Cuba, stating that despite the hardships, he cannot bear being away from his "homeland" for too long.

A Voice for "Continuity"

Known for his propagandistic compositions like "Cabalgando con Fidel" and "El regreso del amigo" (dedicated to Hugo Chávez), Raúl Torres has established himself as a loyal voice of Cuba's cultural officialdom. In August, he released a new song honoring Fidel Castro on the 99th anniversary of the dictator's birth, singing, "Fidelidad por siempre nos quedará, qué falta nos haces, papá."

In September, Torres publicly defended the supposed existence of freedom of expression in Cuba, asserting that "I'm criticized without mercy" and noting that works by opposition artists are displayed on the island. At the beginning of October, he suggested a "market socialism" that combines private economy with state control to "prevent the people from taking to the streets."

His latest Facebook message reinforces the official narrative that portrays the Cuban regime as morally superior, despite the island's severe economic and political crisis.