Cuban Priest Alberto Reyes: "No Evil Lasts Forever, Nor Will the Oppression on Our Land"

Cuban Catholic priest Alberto Reyes Pías released the 175th entry of his weekly Facebook column this Saturday, titled "I've Been Thinking About a Message of Hope." In it, he openly acknowledges the severity of Cuba's crisis and urges his fellow countrymen not to lose hope.

As the parish priest of Esmeralda in Camagüey, Reyes does not mince words: "It's no secret that Cuba is engulfed in a systemic crisis, which worsens daily while the government seems solely focused on repression."

Reyes takes it a step further and points out why the regime avoids finding solutions: "No one in power seems remotely interested in seeking solutions. Perhaps this is because, given the island's current level of decay, any improvement would empower the population and require a relinquishment of power, which is unacceptable to them."

For the priest, however, the most troubling aspect is not the scarcity or repression but the collective mindset: "The worst part of this moment is that we've lost hope again. Days go by without seeing any light on the horizon, and the expectations from a few months ago have faded away."

Despite this, he urges people to maintain hope, asserting that "no evil is eternal, and the oppression on our land will not last forever either."

Solidarity and Faith as Beacons of Hope

Amid widespread discouragement, Reyes reflects on the power of solidarity: "Find someone in need and assist them, share what you can, reach out to someone who is alone, help a family with food or medicine, listen, comfort, encourage." He adds, "Don't expect to change everything; start by helping just one person."

Reyes also calls on faith as a support system during adversity: "Keep remembering the voice of God that continually reassures you: I am with you. This doesn't mean there won't be difficulties, but you won't have to face them alone."

The Importance of Perseverance and Collective Identity

He warns that giving up before change arrives will leave people without the strength to seize the moment: "If you surrender along the way, when the situation ends, you won't have the energy or dreams left to embrace the light."

Reyes conveys a message of collective identity: "Cuba is not only its problems. Cuba is also its people, their ability to love, share, rise, and reinvent themselves."

Finally, Father Reyes closes with an optimistic message: "Cuba, despite its chains, will move forward if we continue to believe in the dawn and if, in the midst of the night, we keep reaching out and doing good for each other."

The post comes just hours after yet another total blackout of the National Electric System, following multiple failures in different sections of the power grid.

Throughout the year, his reflections have depicted Cuba as a "country at war," exposing fear as the regime's foundation and explaining how capable individuals are drawn into repression without questioning their actions.

Reyes doesn't write from a place of comfort; the government has directly pressured him. In January, State Security summoned him and fellow priest Castor José Álvarez Devesa, issuing a warning for their public criticisms. After this incident, Reyes stated, "The summons was not a dialogue; it was an intimidation."

In July, authorities prevented him from traveling to Miami. Despite all this, he has continued to publish every week without interruption.