The historian and activist, Alina Bárbara López Hernández, delivered a sharp rebuke to Miguel Díaz-Canel on Tuesday, following the Cuban leader's remarks made in an interview with RT en Español about Cuba's potential to overcome its crisis.
"A political leader who seeks respect must earn it. Respect is not demanded; it is deserved. No one matches the Cuban president in grandiose nonsense," López stated on her Facebook profile.
The trigger for her response was Díaz-Canel's answer when journalist Oliver Zamora, a correspondent for the Russian channel in Havana, asked if Cuba can move forward despite the challenges.
Instead of presenting a concrete plan, the leader resorted to a metaphor: "Utopia is on the horizon. When we take two steps forward, utopia takes two steps back. And the horizon advances ten steps. What's the point of utopia? To keep us moving. I would say hope is the same."
This reflection originates from a quote by Argentine filmmaker Fernando Birri, popularized by Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano in his book "The Book of Embraces" (1989). Galeano always clarified Birri's authorship, although widespread dissemination mistakenly credited it to the Uruguayan writer.
The use of this quote sparked reactions on social media, where users have erupted with memes, mockery, and criticism.
Context of Economic Struggles
The irony of Díaz-Canel's reflection is heightened by the context in which it was made: in the same RT interview, he admitted that no fuel ship, except a Russian one, has arrived in Cuba in six months, and that the country produces only 40,000 barrels of oil daily against a need for 90,000 to 110,000.
Venezuelan supplies drastically dwindled after Nicolás Maduro's capture in January 2026, worsening an energy crisis that already enforced power outages lasting up to twenty hours daily.
In that interview, Díaz-Canel also promised to implement 121 economic measures out of over 170 approved before July's end, in a country where the minimum wage equals less than five dollars a month at the informal exchange rate.
Alina Bárbara López's Continued Resistance
López, meanwhile, has been under house arrest since June 2024, charged with "assault," with her trial indefinitely postponed. Despite these restrictions, she remains active on social media and hasn't softened her critical stance against the regime.
This isn't the first time the intellectual has targeted the leader with such forcefulness. In February 2026, she labeled him a "nervous and dyslexic messenger" following his televised appearance on the energy crisis, and in July, she accused the regime of acting as a "terrorist state against its own people."
In May 2026, when asked about her stance, López summarized her journey with a defining statement: "I am an intellectual who refused perks or privileges if it meant staying silent in the face of injustices."
Understanding Cuba's Political and Economic Struggles
What triggered Alina Bárbara López's criticism of Díaz-Canel?
López criticized Díaz-Canel following his metaphorical response in an interview regarding Cuba's potential to overcome its crisis, which she viewed as lacking concrete solutions and being grandiose in nature.
How has López maintained her opposition to the Cuban regime?
Despite being under house arrest since 2024, López remains vocal on social media, consistently criticizing the regime without moderating her tone.
What are the economic challenges currently facing Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing severe energy shortages, producing only 40,000 barrels of oil daily against a need for up to 110,000, compounded by reduced Venezuelan fuel supplies and widespread power outages.