Cuban comedian and actor Ulises Toirac took to Facebook on Saturday to deliver one of his most scathing commentaries on Cuba's ongoing crisis. He declared that the situation has become so dire that it's not just about lacking a visible solution: "It's not that there's no light at the end of the tunnel... there is no tunnel."
The catalyst for his reflection was an interview given by Miguel Díaz-Canel to Russian state media RT en Español on July 20. When asked if Cuba can emerge from the crisis, Díaz-Canel quoted a philosophical idea popularized by Eduardo Galeano: "Utopia is on the horizon. When we take two steps forward, utopia moves two steps back... What's the purpose of utopia? To keep us moving forward." Toirac dismissed this response as "doubly erroneous."
For Toirac, the mistake was not only philosophical but also diagnostic. The wrong question being asked was "Will we get out of this?" when the more pertinent one should be "When will we get out of this?"
"The question should have been 'When will we leave this situation?' Because if the answer is 'In a year,' then give up, considering that the current scenario—although they might not perceive it due to their way of living and having cut off any form of realistic feedback—is already horrific. No exaggerations," Toirac wrote.
An Electrifying Analogy
Toirac illustrated his point with an electrical analogy—a particularly relevant comparison in a country experiencing power outages lasting up to 20 hours daily: "An electrical device may show 2kw of consumption at a given moment. However, time is crucial. Its consumption is determined by the amount it uses over a specific period. A rainstorm might be very intense for half a minute and not cause floods. But if it continues for an hour, then it's time to swim!"
The logic is straightforward: the indefinite extension of the crisis turns it into an irreversible catastrophe, unnoticed by a government disconnected from the people's reality.
Escalating Criticism
This post is just the latest in a series of critical statements by Toirac throughout 2026. On July 23, he mocked Díaz-Canel's metaphor with a parody: "If I keep eating crap, I won't reach the utopian house where an attainable blackout dog awaits. Step forward and step back..."
On July 12, he described living through Cuba's blackouts as a "nightmare," stating that the situation "has no end" because "there are no solutions." In June, he claimed that "Cuba is in a maze with no exit" and doesn't foresee an end "within my lifetime," at 62 years old.
The reaction to Díaz-Canel's utopia metaphor was widespread on social media. Besides Toirac, figures like La Crema and Luis Alberto García responded sarcastically on July 22 and 23, sparking a wave of criticism following the leader's interview.
Toirac's final remark in his post highlights a consequence the regime seems oblivious to: "While they do what they do—putting faith I no longer have that it's their intention—there won't be anyone left to see the light at the end," directly referencing the mass emigration that, according to Toirac's April estimate, has already led to 1.25 million Cubans leaving between 2021 and 2024.
Understanding Cuba's Crisis and Public Reaction
What prompted Ulises Toirac's critique on Facebook?
Toirac's critique was prompted by an interview where Miguel Díaz-Canel quoted a philosophical metaphor instead of providing realistic solutions to Cuba's crisis.
How did Ulises Toirac illustrate his point about the crisis?
Toirac used an electrical analogy, comparing the prolonged crisis to an appliance consuming power over time, emphasizing that an extended crisis becomes catastrophic.
What was the reaction to Díaz-Canel's metaphor on social media?
The reaction was widespread and critical, with figures like La Crema and Luis Alberto García using sarcasm to respond, leading to a wave of criticism.