Cuban comedian Ulises Toirac took to social media this Thursday to deliver a biting critique of the current situation in Havana, which has been plagued by power outages and the absence of warnings about the effects of Hurricane Helene.
In a Facebook post, Toirac sarcastically remarked that "it’s pointless to wake up early to work knowing that the power will be cut at ten." However, he noted that the interruptions began even earlier than expected, illustrating the difficulty of planning daily life under these conditions.
Toirac also highlighted that the situation was exacerbated by strong winds and continuous rain, yet he ironically mentioned that, according to authorities, "nothing has happened," downplaying severe crises with the energy supply or the necessity of issuing hurricane warnings.
With his signature humor, he concluded by saying that what he’s experiencing "isn't real," adding a critical tone to the ongoing energy and management issues in Cuba.
Past Criticisms of the Government
This is not the first time Toirac has used his sharp wit to criticize the Cuban government. Recently, he attacked a new decree issued by the Council of Ministers, which bans a total of 125 economic activities for private micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), non-agricultural cooperatives, and self-employed workers.
In another Facebook post, Toirac recalled an old joke about a husband who, upon discovering his wife cheating on their sofa, decides to throw the sofa out. He likened this to the government's approach to its own problems. "What they end up banning is private enterprise for the majority," he asserted, pointing to the disregard for legal order in the country, where "the Constitution can be overridden by laws, and laws can be overridden by... an invisible and omnipotent superior entity."
Commentary on Social Issues
Toirac has also spoken out about the return of school fields to Cuba, which will now take place in urban settings, with students working in organoponic gardens or maintaining places of interest.
In August, he joined the chorus of public criticism regarding the lack of waste collection, a problem leading to piles of garbage in streets across Cuba. Ulises shared a photo on Facebook showing a heap of trash at a corner in Havana, though he did not specify the location. Nevertheless, he implied that such scenes could be found in any neighborhood of the city.