Last Thursday, Ricardo Dagoberto Vilahomat, a Cuban citizen, delivered a harrowing account of life in Cuba at the "Voices for Cuba and Venezuela" forum held in Uruguay. He painted a stark picture of extreme poverty, frequent blackouts, legal repression, and the exploitation by the regime through its military apparatus.
"People cry from poverty. You have no idea what it means to cry from poverty," Vilahomat stated during his address, blending hard facts with his personal experiences under the dictatorship.
He began his speech by highlighting a fact he believes often goes unnoticed: Cuba is the only Latin American country that still enforces the death penalty in its legal system.
Vilahomat pointed out that the Penal Code, revised in 2022, expanded the number of offenses punishable by death to 24, with eight targeting the state for vague charges like espionage, treason, rebellion, or sedition.
He illustrated the grim reality by describing a neighbor's plight: "Imagine someone frustrated after 60 hours without power, with a feverish child and no aspirin to reduce the temperature. That's how it is in Cuba," he said, emphasizing how desperation can swiftly become a capital crime.
The Economic Stranglehold of GAESA
Vilahomat also condemned the economic monopoly held by the Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), the military conglomerate of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, which controls between 40% and 70% of the Cuban economy without public audits or accountability.
In a bid to expose the hypocrisy of the embargo narrative, he compared Uruguay's dollar reserves—19.4 billion—to GAESA's assets, estimated between 14.5 and 18 billion dollars, according to leaked documents in 2024.
"While the world is falling apart, they're building a luxury hotel in Havana where children lack water," he lamented.
Propaganda and Political Criticism
Vilahomat did not shy away from criticizing the regime's propaganda, saying, "Cuba has been the most effective propaganda workshop in the world. Even today, when people talk about Cuba, the first argument is the blockade. They can't withstand scrutiny."
He also named and shamed the Uruguayan left, which returned to power in November 2024 with the Broad Front: "The left in Uruguay sides with the dictatorship, not with the people."
The Cycle of Debt and Education
He further described Cuba's work and education system as a perpetual debt trap: students labor for four hours daily in the fields to "pay" for their education, graduate, and then must fulfill a mandatory social service up to 800 kilometers from home, earning less than the minimum wage.
"In Cuba, nothing is given, everything is sold and charged. That supposed gratuity traps you in a debt you can never repay," he declared.
Vilahomat concluded with a personal grievance that echoes the experience of many exiled Cubans: "I worked for 20 years, and all of us here, those who worked and left, have no right to a single peso of our 20 years of contributions."
His testimony aligns with data from the Cuban Human Rights Observatory, which reveals that by April 2026, 89% of Cuban families live in extreme poverty, and 97% have lost access to basic food supplies.
Understanding Cuba's Crisis
What did Ricardo Dagoberto Vilahomat highlight about Cuba's legal system?
Vilahomat highlighted that Cuba is the only Latin American country that still enforces the death penalty, with the Penal Code expanding death-eligible offenses to 24, including vague charges like espionage and treason.
How does GAESA impact the Cuban economy according to Vilahomat?
GAESA, a military conglomerate, controls 40% to 70% of Cuba's economy without public audits, significantly impacting the country's economic landscape.
What does Vilahomat say about Cuba's education and work system?
Vilahomat describes it as a debt trap, where students must work in the fields to "pay" for their education and then complete a low-paid mandatory social service far from home.