Michel Torres Criticizes Cuban Emigrants: "You Might Have Electricity, But Not the Neighbor's Sugar"

On October 20th, a day celebrating Cuban Culture, journalist and TV host Michel E. Torres Corona took to Facebook to deliver a message exalting those who choose to remain in Cuba despite the ongoing crisis. As the host of the TV show Con Filo, Torres praised the resilience of those enduring hardships on the island. "A lot of blue, a lot of green, a lot of palm trees and flags for October 20th. We faced a blackout, but the Nuevo Milenio Editorial Group continues to work on books, by hand and without permission: presentations, authors, donations, libraries, fairs... No electric light, yet we stubbornly fight for culture, which remains the first thing to be saved (to save ourselves)," Torres wrote.

In his post, Torres argued for the necessity of staying in Cuba despite its shortcomings: "It is our duty to remain on this vessel, against all odds, to stay on this island that wobbles but never sinks. Cuba needs us, and we need it to be cultured and free." His message included references to José Martí, Mario Benedetti, and Fidel Castro, emphasizing sacrifice and belonging. In a striking passage, he stated, "You might have electricity, but not the neighbor's sugar... You won't make a grain of this sand song, you won't be a drop of this violent sea, you won't suffer the pains of this birth of the future."

Torres ended his post with a note to those living abroad: "To friends and compatriots not born or living in Cuba but who think and, above all, act to help, my fraternal embrace."

The Contradictory Sermons of Michel Torres

Torres' latest message comes just weeks after he admitted that the Cuban Revolution is "bogged down" and criticized the double standards and enrichment of the few amidst a national crisis. At that time, he complained about blackouts and criticized those who "demand sacrifice without enduring it themselves."

Despite these rare admissions of discontent, Torres has consistently defended the regime. In September, he used Con Filo to rationalize the official narrative around protests in Gibara, denying repression and arrests, echoing state media. In August, he openly mocked Cubans who called for the show's cancellation, sarcastically suggesting, "Oh, well, if the Cubans are asking... let the Norwegians fund us!" This gesture was seen as further disdain for the population, who are grappling with blackouts, hunger, and mass exodus.

The Persistent Propagandist

Known for his aggressive support of state propaganda, Michel Torres Corona often employs his TV platform to attack independent media like CiberCuba, opposition figures, artists, and critical journalists. His rhetoric blends sarcasm, moralism, and patriotic appeals, defending the political power that sustains him.

In his latest message, Torres once again resorts to revolutionary epic and resistance language but fails to address the crisis affecting the nation. While he praises the "honesty and sacrifice" of those who remain in Cuba, he overlooks the reasons why over half a million Cubans have emigrated in recent years: hunger, blackouts, repression, and lack of future prospects.

Blackouts and Rhetoric: A Misguided Heroism

Ironically, Torres begins his post by acknowledging that the Novo Milenio Editorial Group, where he works, was without electricity but continued to work "by hand and without permits," which many saw as an attempt at hollow heroism. "The blackout is not a symbol of dignity, but of the system's failure," wrote one user.

As the regime celebrated Cuban Culture Day amid blackouts and censorship, voices like Michel Torres continue to glorify hardship as resistance, in a country where more Cubans each day choose to light their own path away from the island.