Elon Musk, the renowned billionaire, has once again turned his attention to Cuba, this time by sharing a meme that ridicules the Havana regime, sparking a worldwide debate on his social media platform, X.
The meme features a map highlighting the shorter distance from Haiti to Cuba compared to the United States, accompanied by a thinking face emoji, shared by the Tesla founder this past Wednesday.
With a hint of irony, the meme questions, “Why do Haitians risk sailing 900 kilometers through shark-infested waters to the evils of capitalism when they have a socialist paradise just 90 kilometers away?”
The post garnered swift responses, amassing over 100,000 likes. A user reflected, “Socialism is the system measured by intention, not results. The intention makes everyone equal; the result impoverishes all.”
Another user flipped the question around: “Why don’t American socialists use those same boats to flee to Cuba?”
This isn’t Musk's first mention of Cuba. Earlier in November, during an interview with Joe Rogan, he criticized communism and praised Cuban-Americans, calling them “the most zealous capitalists in America.”
In their discussion, Rogan asked, “Who are the most zealous capitalists in America?” To which Musk, the owner of SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter), confidently answered, “The damn Cubans.”
Amid laughter, Musk noted that immigrants from the island have the strongest capitalist mindset in the country, a moment that went viral on social media, particularly among the Cuban-American community.
The host remarked that Cubans “don’t want to hear any crap about socialism” because they know what it truly entails. Musk agreed, adding, “It’s extreme government oppression,” and continued to praise the contributions of Cubans in building up southern Florida: “I don’t know how they did it, but they did. No one flees to Cuba.”
Seizing the moment, the billionaire poked fun at the differences between communist regimes and free countries: “I’ve always wondered why boats only come from Cuba to Florida and not the other way around,” he mused.
“If communism were so great, boats would sail in the opposite direction, but they never do,” he added.
Musk also drew parallels between Cuba’s situation and historical Berlin during the Cold War: “The obvious way to know which ideology is bad is to see who builds walls to keep people in,” he explained.
“The wall was built by East Berlin communists, not those in West Berlin,” he stated.
The entrepreneur concluded that communist societies are “a nightmare of control and repression,” joking that “if socialist-run cities stay the same, they’ll soon need to build walls to keep people from leaving.”
The South African-born billionaire, known for his candid and provocative style, has repeatedly expressed his opposition to collectivist ideologies and his advocacy for individual freedom and market economies, principles he believes “define the essence of America.”
Understanding Elon Musk's Critique of Communism
Why did Elon Musk share a meme about Cuba?
Elon Musk shared a meme about Cuba to highlight the irony of Haitians risking dangerous journeys to capitalist countries despite the proximity of a socialist nation, sparking a global discussion.
What was the public reaction to Musk's meme?
The meme received over 100,000 likes and prompted various responses, with some users questioning the logic of socialism and others flipping the narrative to challenge American socialists.
How has Musk previously addressed the topic of Cuba?
Musk has previously addressed Cuba by criticizing communism and praising Cuban-Americans as passionate capitalists, notably during an interview with Joe Rogan.