Cuban Scholar Criticizes Discrepancy Between Government and Its Revolutionary Claims

On the 73rd anniversary of the Moncada Barracks attack, Cuban historian and academic Ivette García González shared a compelling critique on Facebook. She dismantled the official narrative equating the Cuban government with the Revolution, describing it as one of the greatest deceptions perpetuated by the regime for over sixty years.

García González, a Ph.D. in Historical Sciences and former professor at the University of Havana, ISRI, and the Cuban Institute of History, asserts that there is a deep contradiction between the Cuban government and the Revolution it claims to represent—a contradiction that has existed from the very beginning.

The Discrepancy of Revolutionary Promises

The scholar recalls that the 1959 Revolution was founded on the principles of sovereignty, democracy, human rights, a national economy, free press, and social justice. These leaders once fought against hatred and division among Cubans.

However, according to García González, the government that emerged from this process has only partially fulfilled two of these promises: state sovereignty and social justice, both in a distorted manner.

Unfulfilled Promises and Current Challenges

Regarding sovereignty, she notes it was exercised "solely against the United States." On social justice, she warns that it was "dependent on international subsidies—therefore unsustainable—and conditioned on people's loyalty," all while being heavily indoctrinated.

The rest of the foundational promises, she argues, have been woefully neglected. The government divided Cubans—into good and bad, worthy and unworthy, revolutionaries and counter-revolutionaries—fabricated a false unity, hijacked popular sovereignty, reimagined dependency, and manipulated democracy to its liking.

Economic and Social Consequences

García González also highlights that the regime prioritizes real estate and tourism sectors over agriculture, health, social security, education, and innovation, while social policies have been regressing for decades.

The outcome of this model, according to García González, is that "the vast majority remain in precarious conditions; precariousness has been socialized." She further states, "We are a heroic people, or so we feel, but in reality, we are deeply wounded and fractured to our core, which is our individuality and family."

Migration and Repression: Alarming Statistics

The academic cites migration figures—nearly 20% of the nation has emigrated—supported by official data: according to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), 245,264 Cubans left the country in 2025, reducing the population to 9,434,593. García González describes this exodus, coupled with demographic aging, an "exorbitant prison population," and systematic repression, as "the collapse of the nation's living forces."

Repressive actions also have stark numbers: Prisoners Defenders recorded a historic high of 1,306 political prisoners in Cuba in June 2026, including minors. Meanwhile, the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights documented over 3,000 repressive acts during 2025.

The Dire State of the Cuban Economy

Economically, the Center for Cuban Economic Studies estimated a 5% decline in the Cuban economy in 2025, totaling a contraction of over 15% since 2020. The Economic Intelligence Unit forecasts a further 7.2% decline for 2026.

Challenging the Status Quo

Faced with this reality, García González poses two unavoidable questions: For whom has this project been? And where is the Revolution seen in Cuba's current actions?

She also criticizes the official emphasis on "continuity": "Replicating the same strategies in different contexts with different leaderships is one of the worst political mistakes, yet they insist on continuity." Her statements contrast with those of Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, who defended the principle of "doing what is necessary to preserve the essentials" of socialism in June 2026, while Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga admitted that "traditional methods are not producing results."

García González is no stranger to the intellectual debate on the exhaustion of the Cuban model. In May 2026, she published analyses on the vulnerability of dictatorships and proposed a National Civic Movement based on non-violent struggle to promote a democratic transition.

She concludes her analysis with a warning inspired by Antonio Machado: "Cubans, let's engage in politics, because if we don't, it will be done by others, possibly against us."