Elizabeth González Aznar, a Cuban citizen, has openly expressed her frustrations with Miguel Díaz-Canel through a Facebook post. In her open letter, she demands answers regarding the food shortages, frequent power outages, and the exploitation by the private sector, which she claims endangers the Cuban people's lives.
"I don’t know how many more interviews our country's president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, plans to give, but what I do know is that if he continues to ignore the pressing issues we face, many of us might fall ill or die," González Aznar writes in her piece titled "How Much Longer and How Far Will This Go?"
This letter was published shortly after Díaz-Canel gave an interview to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, where he dismissed claims that Cuba is on the verge of collapse, attributing the crisis to the U.S. embargo without taking any responsibility for the declining living conditions on the island.
Demanding Accountability
González Aznar directly challenged the president's statements.
"Giving interviews to foreign journalists seems crucial to your political career, which should end in two years, but don't you think it's more important to finally resolve the basic problems of the Cuban people?" she questioned.
She criticized Díaz-Canel's lack of transparency, stating, "You continue to avoid acknowledging your role in the undignified life we are leading. Where is the revolutionary's self-critique?"
The Harsh Reality of Daily Life
To highlight the crisis, González Aznar listed the exorbitant prices she encounters daily in the private sector: sugar at 500 pesos per pound, rice at 400, cooking oil at 4,000 pesos, chicken at 700, ground meat at 650, pork loin at 1,700, and eggs at 175 pesos each, when available.
The power outages exacerbate these issues. "The blackouts prevent us from storing food, refrigerators become useless, and prices continue to skyrocket," González Aznar denounced.
She also pointed out the challenges with the private sector's refusal to accept bank transfers or their limitation to 1,000 pesos, and their rejection of bills smaller than 50 pesos, which particularly affects workers, retirees, and pensioners.
"Seeing an elderly person trying to find their daily sustenance only to return empty-handed is painful. We’re not asking for handouts; we want to pay for overpriced goods, yet we’re unable to do so through bank transfers," she expressed.
Private Sector and Government Inaction
González Aznar also criticized the management of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cuba. "The private sector is out of control; they know how to take advantage of this failing state, and the worst part is they’re aware that you are incapable of regulating them because you created them."
This isn't the first time González Aznar has publicly confronted the leader. On August 11, she responded to Díaz-Canel's call for "firm and creative resistance," asserting that Cubans endure because they have no other choice.
Her voice joins others like philosopher Alina Bárbara López, who described Díaz-Canel's interview with Folha de S.Paulo as "full of lies and contradictions."
González Aznar concludes her letter with a question that captures the exasperation felt by millions of Cubans.
"This isn't a question from a foreign journalist; I'm asking as a Cuban citizen, tired of merely surviving while others thrive without fulfilling their responsibilities. How much longer, Mr. President?"
Key Questions About Cuba's Current Crisis
What are the main issues Elizabeth González Aznar addresses in her letter?
Elizabeth González Aznar highlights the food shortages, power outages, and the exploitation by the private sector as the main issues threatening the survival of the Cuban people.
How did Díaz-Canel respond to the claims of Cuba's crisis?
In an interview with Folha de S.Paulo, Díaz-Canel denied that Cuba is nearing collapse, blaming the crisis on the U.S. embargo without acknowledging any responsibility for the country's deteriorating conditions.
What are the challenges faced by the Cuban private sector according to González Aznar?
González Aznar criticizes the private sector for refusing bank transfers, limiting transactions to 1,000 pesos, and rejecting smaller currency bills, which creates significant difficulties for the general population.