Laritza Camacho Questions the Wealth of Those Promoting Equal Poverty

Renowned broadcaster and actress Laritza Camacho recently voiced a powerful critique of the Cuban regime's egalitarian rhetoric through a Facebook post, challenging the official narrative of equality associated with the government's new set of 176 economic measures.

Camacho's post directly targets the contradiction between socialist discourse and the reality of its proponents: "Is being poor the only way to achieve equality? Why then do those who advocate for 'sharing poverty equally' become increasingly wealthy?"

She warns her followers against what she terms the "mental uniform": "When they talk to you about equality, enhance your differences, your unique traits... what makes you special. Do not fall into the trap of the mental uniform, of the crowd happily walking towards a dangerous cliff."

True Equality vs. Superficial Claims

In one of the most direct passages of her message, Camacho elaborates on what true equality should look like. "If someone wants to be your equal, they won't stifle your entrepreneurial spirit, they won't limit your creativity, they won't give you orders, but suggestions, they will listen and disagree respectfully, they won't bind your hands or confine your body to prevent your ideas from flying," she explained.

The Value of Individual Wealth

Camacho also reflects on the personal value of money in contrast to the collectivist notion imposed by the regime: "A coin in your hand will never be the same as a coin in mine... the same coin can be used to eat for the day, to invest and eat for many days, to squander uselessly, to indulge in a luxury, to save in an account, to deceive others, or to offer to someone in need."

Regarding those who shut doors that only they can open, she is blunt: "When someone closes a door that they open for themselves, they are not protecting you or aiming to be your equal... on the contrary, they see themselves as superior and entitled over your individuality."

She further adds, "If, after closing those doors that only they have open, they expect you to applaud them; that person is not your equal, they are your burden."

Her message concludes with a personal definition of equality that starkly contrasts with the official stance: "Equality is a space of peace where free men live, who respect each other, who are creative, productive, and truly human. Everything else in the discourse is pure manipulation."

Continued Critique of the Regime

This isn't the first time Camacho has criticized the government in recent weeks. Last week, she posed a question that encapsulates the skepticism of thousands of Cubans regarding the regime's announced reforms: "Who guarantees that those who have done everything wrong will suddenly do everything right?"

On June 9, she directed a message at Cuban leaders: "Fill the pots... full pots don’t make noise." Days later, she took aim at ETECSA, stating: "Don’t charge for a service you don’t provide."

The 176 measures announced by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero in front of the National Assembly include authorizing private banking, removing the cap of 100 workers for micro, small and medium enterprises, and opening up to foreign investment.

However, analyst Miguel Alejandro Hayes argued that the package is designed not for development but to maintain the regime's political control. Meanwhile, a popular phrase circulating on Cuban social media described it as "176 measures to steal a country," reflecting public response to the announcement.