The Cuban artist and theater director Selene Perdomo Chacón, now residing in Barcelona, voiced on Saturday that the 67 years of unchallenged rule by the Cuban regime are more than enough to disprove any attempts at justifying the socialist model's failures.
Perdomo described Cuba as living in a "collective delusion" caused by a system that, in her view, has normalized violence, persecution, and social division for nearly seven decades.
She highlighted this sentiment during an interview with journalist Tania Costa from CiberCuba, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence. "It's the consequence of the most absurd thing that could have happened in Latin America for almost 70 years," she remarked.
The artist recounted how this dynamic shaped her childhood in the 1980s, recalling how neighbors who once lived harmoniously were driven to conflict by the regime's directives. "I saw my neighbors, who got along great, throwing stones at their own brothers, their neighbors, the kids they played with," she shared.
The Culture of Fear and Privilege
Perdomo believes this pattern continues to define the Cuban system. "It's a society and a regime that incites violence and persecution; we are all each other's watchdog," she asserted.
She differentiated between those who still support the regime out of fear or coercion and the ruling elite, accusing the latter of clinging to their privileges while entirely ignoring the people's suffering.
Challenging the Official Narrative
Rejecting the regime's narrative blaming Cuba's crisis solely on external factors, Perdomo pointed out that unlike democracies where governments have four to eight years to prove themselves, the Cuban regime has ruled without parliamentary opposition and with total institutional control for 67 years.
"In what others achieve in eight years, they have had 67, without any parliamentary opposition, with everyone voting unanimously, and yet they've driven the country into the ground," she criticized.
For Perdomo, the issue is no longer about the "external enemy" but rather the system's incompetence in managing resources. "It's not about an external enemy anymore; it's a management problem. They don't know how to manage resources," she stated, criticizing the appointment of unqualified political figures to lead state enterprises.
Her statements came a day after ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel once again blamed the United States for Cuba's crisis in an interview with Puerto Rican newspaper Claridad, urging Cubans to direct their protests at Washington, not the government.
In the same interview, Díaz-Canel dismissed any betrayal of socialism, reiterating, "What they are doing to Cuba, they can do to any country."
This pattern of evading responsibility is precisely what Perdomo condemns. The regime has long blamed the embargo.
The artist, known for her denunciatory poem "El Rapto de las Mulatas" and as director of the podcast "Menos mal que estoy yo aquí," concluded her remarks with a poignant contrast.
"What the United States is celebrating today is what we still cannot celebrate: freedom, democracy, the defense of national values," she emphasized.
Understanding Cuba's Political Climate
Why does Selene Perdomo criticize the Cuban regime?
Selene Perdomo criticizes the Cuban regime for its 67 years of unopposed rule, which she believes has led to normalized violence, persecution, and a divided society. She attributes these issues to the regime's inability to manage resources and its evasion of responsibility by blaming external factors.
What does Perdomo say about those who support the regime?
Perdomo distinguishes between those who support the regime out of fear or coercion and the ruling elite, who maintain their power through privilege while ignoring the suffering of the population.
How does Perdomo view the Cuban government's management of the country?
Perdomo argues that the Cuban government's management is ineffective, criticizing the regime's inability to properly manage resources and the appointment of unqualified individuals to lead state enterprises.