Cuban writer and political analyst Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo has raised concerns about the Cuban diaspora, suggesting it poses a serious threat to the regime in Havana. In an interview with Tania Costa, he emphasized that decades of sending citizens abroad have set the stage for one of these exiles to dismantle the system from the outside.
During a conversation with CiberCuba, Pardo Lazo used a striking metaphor to highlight his point. "When you have such a large diaspora, and you have been exporting your population for so long, you run the risk that one of those 'heretics,' as they call them in Havana, one of those non-native Cubans, might destroy the empire you built over there."
The Threat from Exiled Gladiators
He went further, employing a historical analogy: "It's like one of those gladiators that you kicked out returning to Rome to dismantle the empire to its very foundation."
Pardo Lazo cited Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and the current U.S. Secretary of State since January 2025, as a concrete example of this phenomenon. However, he clarified that this is an individual occurrence rather than the result of politically mobilized Cuban-American wealth.
Investment Warnings for Cuban-American Entrepreneurs
In his analysis, Pardo Lazo issued a stark warning to Cuban-American entrepreneurs considering investing in Cuba: doing so under the current regime's conditions amounts to financial suicide.
"Any money invested in Cuba, any property bought there without a regime of rights, without respect for financial, economic, and eventually political rights, is a path to self-destruction," he stated, referencing businesspeople who ended up imprisoned on the island with their assets seized.
Instead, Pardo Lazo suggested that the diaspora's investments should serve as a lever for political transformation. "Ensure your money acts as an Archimedean lever for democratic change."
Economic Opportunities Rooted in Political Change
His message to entrepreneurs was clear: "Don't invest to make millions, invest to make trillions in Cuba. And that happens when you can put your money into a free market economy."
He envisioned the possibility of a transformed Cuba: "Turn it into the next Cancún or whatever, when it's feasible."
Current Regime's Desperate Bid for Foreign Capital
Pardo Lazo's analysis comes at a time when the Cuban government is desperately seeking foreign capital. In April 2026, Havana enacted Decree-Law 117/2026, creating a special immigration status for Cubans residing abroad who wish to invest in sectors like tourism, energy, and food on the island.
However, analysts have dismissed this opening as inadequate. Cuban-American businessman Carlos Saladrigas was unequivocal: "There will be no investment in Cuba without political change," demanding legal guarantees and an independent judiciary as minimum conditions.
Pardo Lazo also characterized the current Cuban regime not as a traditional dictatorship, but as a system "disconnected from reality" that can no longer provide water, electricity, healthcare, or education to the Cuban people, a situation he believes marks an irreversible historical transition.
Understanding the Implications of the Cuban Diaspora
Why is the Cuban diaspora considered a threat to the regime?
The Cuban diaspora is seen as a threat because it consists of individuals who have experienced freedom and democracy abroad and may leverage their influence or resources to challenge or dismantle the regime from outside Cuba.
What are the risks of investing in Cuba under the current regime?
Investing in Cuba under the current regime is risky because there is a lack of legal protections and an independent judiciary, which can result in financial loss or imprisonment for investors.
How can the diaspora's investment promote democratic change in Cuba?
By ensuring that investments are conditional on democratic reforms and the establishment of a free market economy, the diaspora can use its financial power as leverage to push for necessary political changes in Cuba.