The Cuban dissident, Manuel Cuesta Morúa, highlights the core issue of the ongoing crisis in Cuba: a political system unable to effectively manage the country, which instead of opening up, resorts to increased control and punishment.
In a conversation with EFE, the newly appointed president of the Council for Democratic Transition in Cuba (CDTC) stated that "90% of this nation desires change," suggesting that this social majority is the foundation for a democratic transition with sovereignty, driven internally without external impositions.
Cuesta Morúa portrays a nation ensnared in a "geopolitical trap" crafted by its own government, unwilling to engage in dialogue with either its citizens or the international community. "Listening to their rhetoric, they don't seem prepared for such discussions," he remarked, pointing to a leadership lacking in "state vision" and "responsibility."
As the economy continues to disintegrate with extended blackouts, food shortages, and a failing transportation system, the regime prioritizes repression, silence, and denial of freedom to over a thousand political prisoners. For the opposition leader, there are no significant cracks within the power structure that would allow for a change agenda. "I don't see any equivalent of Delcy Rodríguez within the Cuban elite," he noted, dismissing the possibility of a Venezuelan-like scenario.
The absence of a willing interlocutor to open the system leaves the public at the mercy of a state that governs through force rather than consensus. On the role of Washington, Cuesta Morúa advocates for support and respect for sovereignty. "If a negotiation table among Cubans opens, the U.S. should support, encourage, and do everything necessary to ensure the process succeeds," he stated.
He warns against relying on external actors for the transition: "Venezuela currently shows that those who heavily bet on transition by surrendering sovereignty are now out of the transition game."
One of the most critical aspects of his analysis is the strategy of "suffocating" Cuba by blocking the arrival of oil and fuels. The country imports two-thirds of its energy, and supply cuts exacerbate blackouts and production paralysis. For Cuesta Morúa, this approach does not bring democracy closer.
"Provoking an upheaval only strengthens the state's repressive machinery," he cautioned, adding that this path could lead to "a worse humanitarian situation" than the current widespread collapse. He also dismisses military solutions, clarifying they would not address "the Cuban people's significant demands for democratization."
Instead, he suggests a "humanitarian solution" that combines political and diplomatic pressure with clear objectives: "free political prisoners, establish a negotiation table with Cubans, and open the economy." This approach aims to alleviate people's suffering while dismantling the control mechanisms that have upheld the decades-long dictatorship.
Cuesta Morúa also criticizes the regime's warmongering rhetoric: "Engaging in war won't solve the country's problems... it will destroy a nation that deserves to be recovered." He argues that the dictatorship clings to empty epics while the population sinks into hardship.
Despite everything, the dissident maintains his optimism in a "tacit consensus" within society: Cuba cannot continue on its current path. "The country must open up, and that is my hope," he affirms, acknowledging that civil society isn't strong enough yet, but there is a widespread belief that the model has failed.
In a nation plagued by endless blackouts, under-resourced hospitals, inadequate salaries, and systematic repression of any critical voices, Cuesta Morúa's words emphasize an uncomfortable truth for those in power: the crisis is not the result of external pressures but the exhaustion of a system that refuses to change and only knows how to respond with more control and imprisonment.
Understanding Cuba's Political and Economic Crisis
What is Manuel Cuesta Morúa's perspective on Cuba's political system?
Manuel Cuesta Morúa views Cuba's political system as incapable of effectively managing the country, resorting to increased control and punishment rather than opening up and addressing the needs of its citizens.
How does Cuesta Morúa propose to address Cuba's economic collapse?
Cuesta Morúa suggests a humanitarian approach that combines political and diplomatic pressure with clear goals, such as freeing political prisoners and opening economic negotiations, to alleviate suffering and dismantle oppressive control mechanisms.
What is Cuesta Morúa's stance on external involvement in Cuba's transition?
Cuesta Morúa warns against relying on external actors for Cuba's transition, advocating instead for a process driven internally with support and respect for sovereignty from other nations, particularly the United States.