Raúl Torres Highlights the Desperation of the Cuban People

Renowned Cuban singer-songwriter and National Assembly deputy, Raúl Torres, took to Facebook on Sunday to share a lengthy post that inadvertently reveals the dire straits of the Cuban populace. Torres admits that the people have reached a breaking point, expressing that they are "gasping for their last breath of trust in the leaders of the revolution."

This post is a testament to Torres’s skill in walking a tightrope of ideological balance—a performance he has mastered. While he criticizes bureaucratic inefficiencies and corruption among officials, he avoids any direct criticism of the system that grants him his parliamentary position and platform.

A Conflicted Admission

Torres, who celebrated his 60th birthday in June, begins his post with what reads as an unintended confession: "I've reached 60 years old and have experienced both prosperity and hardship, but never have we faced a reality like this." Despite this acknowledgment, he clings to his ideological lifeline, proudly identifying as a deputy and pledging unwavering support for "Fidel's revolutionary project," which he considers integral to his identity.

Proposals and Criticisms

After the obligatory homage, Torres proceeds to what he terms a diagnosis: "It's time for action, to slam the table, to dismiss those who haven't solved problems and appoint those who can." He voices a strong condemnation of inefficient officials, stating, "Anyone hesitating, slacking, corrupting, or complicating matters needs to leave immediately."

The solutions he offers are, at best, unconventional: urging farmers to boost food production and enrich themselves, suggesting cooperatives import oil with their own ships, and proposing that roads be managed by those willing to repair them and charge tolls. He goes as far as saying he doesn't care what "creature" aids Cuba, as long as it holds the revolution, Fidel, and Raúl dear—be it a hutia, a crab, or a snake.

Blame and Responsibility

The narrative wouldn't be complete without external blame. Torres insists that "the Yankee" is to blame for Cuba's misfortunes, yet he also acknowledges that only the Cuban people can accomplish what no other nation, neither Russia nor China, will do for them. His clarity is muddled with rhetoric, limiting its practical value.

The backdrop of his post makes his words even more revealing than intended. Since 2020, Cuba has suffered an economic contraction exceeding 20%, with a GDP decline projected between -6.5% and -7.2% for this year. Many regions endure power outages exceeding 20 hours daily, and hundreds of thousands have emigrated in recent years.

It is this populace that Torres describes as "gasping for their last breath," the same people who express their discontent by leaving, while he writes from the comfort of Facebook. This isn't his first instance of such rhetoric. In July, he urged leaders to "step away from air conditioning and walk the streets," moved by banks distributing a mere 500 pesos per customer. In June, he romanticized the crisis with pseudo-poetic language, speaking of "the courage to stand when the ground trembles." He also criticized Father Alberto Reyes Pías, one of the few clergy who openly calls out the regime for Cuba's suffering.

Torres concludes his post with expected fervor, exclaiming "Viva Cuba" and "Viva Fidel." Yet, he fails to address who will rescue the revolution or save the people long oppressed by it.