Cuban Comedian Criticizes Privileged Visits by Foreign Activists
HAVANA – Cuban comedian Ulises Toirac has ignited a debate over the nature of international solidarity with the island nation, proposing a satirical “experiment” for visiting activists. Toirac’s critique, posted on Facebook Sunday, challenges the preferential treatment often afforded foreign visitors while the majority of Cubans struggle with economic hardship.
Toirac’s post, which has gone viral, suggests that instead of enjoying the typical accommodations, activists from the “Convoy Nuestra América” – a group recently arrived in Cuba with aid – should be given a more realistic experience of daily life. “Solidarity proposal: take away the suitcases they brought,” he wrote, according to translations reported by CiberCuba. He proposed providing them with a dilapidated house in the Palo Cagao neighborhood of Havana, 4,000 Cuban pesos (CUP) – an amount barely sufficient for basic needs given current inflation – a ration card, and a mobile phone line, with a follow-up check in one month.
The comedian’s statement is a pointed commentary on the disparity between the conditions experienced by international visitors and those endured by ordinary Cubans. The “Convoy Nuestra América” arrived in Cuba carrying over 20 tons of aid from at least 19 countries, according to international press reports. However, the visit has drawn criticism from within Cuba, with some perceiving it as a public relations exercise disconnected from the realities on the ground.
Recent power outages, including one experienced during the convoy’s visit, have underscored this disconnect. While the activists experienced the blackout, they did so within protected facilities, unlike residents in many neighborhoods where outages can last for over 20 hours a day, as reported by CiberCuba.
Toirac’s criticism extends beyond the activists themselves, targeting the Cuban government’s presentation of a carefully curated reality to foreign delegations. The government continues to attribute the country’s economic crisis primarily to external factors, particularly U.S. Sanctions, while downplaying the impact of internal issues such as mismanagement and lack of investment.
The island is currently grappling with a collapsing electrical system, fuel shortages, and widespread scarcity of food and basic goods. Salaries are insufficient to meet the needs of families, exacerbating the economic strain.
Other Cuban voices have echoed Toirac’s sentiments. Journalist Yoani Sánchez stated, “We are not a theme park. Go do ideological tourism elsewhere. We are suffering here,” as reported by CiberCuba. Researcher Rosa Marquetti has criticized what she sees as a romanticization of the Cuban crisis, where hardship is used as political leverage without addressing its human consequences.
The debate intensified after figures like Spanish Vice President Pablo Iglesias reportedly downplayed the severity of the situation in Cuba or attributed it solely to external factors, reinforcing the government’s narrative. Toirac’s proposal, delivered with irony, highlights the growing gap between the image projected to the outside world and the daily struggles of the Cuban people.