The leader Miguel Díaz-Canel attributed the critical reaction of thousands of Cuban students to the telephone rate increase to what he described as an intense campaign of manipulation on social media.
In the official space From the Presidency, Díaz-Canel stated that the campaign has been promoted —according to him— by platforms aiming to discredit the revolution and create distrust in key sectors of society.
During a recent intervention, the president stated that the Party and the Ministry of Communications had conducted a critical review of the errors that caused "disagreements and misunderstandings" among the population.
However, rather than assuming full responsibility, he asserted that these mistakes have been exploited by those outside who are orchestrating what he described as an offensive "full of lies" and attacks directed at sectors such as university students.
Díaz-Canel stated that the campaign has used images and videos of student activities to supposedly present them as acts of opposition or political distancing.
According to him, these representations have been distorted in order to rally young people around a narrative of breaking away from the government, ignoring that students have directly raised their voices against the regime and the rate hike.
During the broadcast of the podcast Desde la Presidencia, the leader defended the controversial mobile phone rate hike implemented by ETECSA, stating that the measure aims to improve the quality of telecommunications services on the island.
He stated that the increase is due to the need to modernize infrastructure and denied that it is a policy of disempowerment towards the population, despite the widespread rejection expressed on social media and by students.
In his message, he stated that the adjustment will allow for the necessary investments to support the development of the sector.
In parallel, ETECSA anticipates a possible general outage in its services, which many users interpreted as a preventive maneuver to justify deficiencies following the rate hike.
From the official discourse, it is emphasized that similar measures are applied “around the world” and that dissent is more a result of misinformation than of management errors or sensitivity to popular demands, as was reiterated in another statement by the leader.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Telephone Rate Increase in Cuba and Díaz-Canel's Statements
Why does Díaz-Canel blame the "media campaigns" for the students' reaction to the rate increase?
Díaz-Canel attributes the critical reaction from students to a manipulation campaign on social media that, according to him, aims to undermine the revolution and create distrust. He claims that these campaigns distort images and videos of student activities to present them as acts of opposition to the government.
What is the objective of the phone rate hike in Cuba according to Díaz-Canel?
Díaz-Canel asserts that the rate hike aims to prevent a technological collapse and improve the quality of telephone service in Cuba. He argues that it is a necessary measure due to the limited availability of foreign currency and the country's complex economic situation, presented as a "tactical withdrawal" to advance the development of the system.
How has the Cuban population reacted to the new ETECSA rates?
The Cuban population has reacted with widespread rejection of the new tariffs from ETECSA, considered abusive and limiting. This discontent has manifested in protests, especially from university students, who have raised their voices against restrictions on internet access and the dollarization of services.
What measures has Díaz-Canel announced for vulnerable sectors in light of the tariff increase?
Díaz-Canel has mentioned that options are being developed for the most vulnerable sectors, such as students, although he has not provided specific details or implementation dates. So far, ETECSA has offered an additional 6 GB and free access to educational sites, measures deemed insufficient by the students.
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