Is Cuba Stuck on Hold? "We Feel Like It's Not Our Turn"

On Saturday, Cuban artist and theater director Selene Perdomo, who currently lives in Barcelona, voiced a deep-seated frustration shared by many in the Cuban exile community. She expressed a sense of being sidelined by Washington's current agenda, saying, "We feel like it's not our turn right now. It's as if we've been postponed indefinitely."

Perdomo shared her thoughts during a live interview with Tania Costa, recorded on July 4, a day marking the 250th anniversary of American independence—a date that many exiled Cubans had hoped would herald political change for the island.

According to Perdomo, the attention shift to Iran was the unexpected twist that altered these expectations: "Iran jumped in line, and we've been left on standby. It seems Trump lost interest." She compared the situation to Venezuela, where U.S. pressure stalled for months, and cautioned about the financial burden of the military presence in the Caribbean: "Deploying ships and troops there isn't free; it comes with a price tag."

The theater director pointed out that the Cuban regime is relieved by this turn of events, as the U.S. political calendar works in their favor: "They're pleased because, come November, Trump will be juggling impeachment issues and various accusations." She speculated on a worst-case scenario: "If the Democrats gain more power, we might be stuck for another 67 years."

Perdomo admitted she had specific hopes for that day: "I thought we'd all be there on July 4. I expected Trump to proudly announce, 'And I've liberated Cuba too.'" However, Trump did not mention Cuba in his Independence Day speech, although he did reiterate his anti-communist stance.

On the same day, Miguel Díaz-Canel gave an interview to the Puerto Rican weekly Claridad. In response to the banging pots and pans of Cubans protesting blackouts, he simply deflected blame onto the United States, saying, "Bang your pots at your northern neighbors."

Perdomo acknowledged speaking from a place of raw emotion and personal desire but also urged caution against unrealistic demands on Washington: "Expecting America to shoulder all the work as if it's their responsibility is asking too much." She recalled that since January 3, 2025, events have sped forward, and the current slower phase is necessary for making "very difficult and specific decisions."

One of her most clearly articulated fears is that of a superficial change without actual transformation, both in Cuba and Venezuela: "There's a fear that nothing substantial will change, that one leader will just be swapped for another." She emphasized that the situation in Caracas—with figures like Diosdado Cabello still in power—directly influences the prospects for change in Havana, and vice versa.

Perdomo's insights reflect a widespread sentiment among the Cuban diaspora: a sense of having been on the brink of historic change, only to find themselves waiting once more. As she succinctly put it, the lingering question for the Cuban community this July 4 is whether negotiation and transition will occur before the political will of potential change-makers is exhausted.