French academic and essayist Salim Lamrani, a well-known supporter of the Cuban regime, sparked a wave of mockery and outrage after posting on Facebook that Cubans who emigrate are not fleeing socialism, but rather the "economic sanctions imposed by the United States."
His statement, echoing the official narrative of the Cuban dictatorship, was met with immediate sarcasm. One of the first commenters quipped, "You've won the award for the joke of the year!"
The reaction was not limited to ridicule. Dozens of internet users, many of whom are Cuban emigrants, dismantled the argument with facts and personal experiences.
"We flee because of the dictatorship, not the sanctions," one commenter asserted emphatically.
Another provided a more detailed refutation: "Recent sanctions may materially worsen the current crisis, particularly the energy sector, but they did not create the dictatorship, the single-party system, the lack of competitive elections, central planning, repression, decades of low productivity, or the decisions to invest huge resources in hotels while basic services were collapsing."
Contradictions and Ironies
Several users pointed out the internal contradiction in the argument: the regime has spent decades warning that Washington wants to invade Cuba, yet Cubans are fleeing precisely to that country. "It's ironic and paradoxical that they keep telling people that the United States wants to invade, and when they escape, they come here," noted one.
Another sarcastically summarized Lamrani's post, alluding to life under a dictatorship: "I just found out that it's the sanctions that imprison you for thinking differently."
One Cuban captured what many emigrants feel: "The opinions of those of us who emigrated are quite the opposite. Our motive was the lack of freedom and the impossibility of living as dignified human beings."
The Regime's Narrative vs. Reality
The narrative Lamrani defends is identical to the one the regime has repeated for decades. Díaz-Canel has claimed that the embargo is the primary cause of Cuban migration, and in May 2026, the Cuban government again denounced before the UN that the exodus is due to the "extreme tightening of the blockade."
However, data contradict that version. Cuba trades with over a hundred countries, and the United States itself exported goods to the island worth $416.6 million between January and July 2025.
"Even the United States trades with Cuba. Argentina and almost all of Latin America trade with Cuba. Several European countries trade with Cuba. The problem is that Cuba has very little to offer," another commenter pointed out.
Demographic and Public Opinion Data
Demographic figures are equally revealing. According to official data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), approximately 245,264 people emigrated in 2025, leaving the population at 9,434,593 inhabitants, marking nine consecutive years of population decline.
Public disapproval of the government is also unequivocal: 92% of Cubans disapprove of the government's management, according to the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH), and only 5% view it favorably. Among young people, that figure drops to 3.39%.
Questions About Cuban Migration and U.S. Embargo
Why do many Cubans emigrate to the United States?
Many Cubans emigrate to the United States seeking freedom and better living conditions, escaping the oppressive regime and lack of opportunities in Cuba.
What is the impact of the U.S. embargo on Cuba?
While the U.S. embargo has economic impacts, many argue that it is not the primary cause of Cuba's economic woes, which are more attributed to the government's policies and inefficiencies.
How does public opinion in Cuba view the government?
According to the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights, a significant majority of Cubans, around 92%, disapprove of the government's management, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction.