The former adult film star Mia Khalifa, who gained notoriety among Cubans for her outspoken comments on Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel just before the significant July 11th protests in Cuba, has once again voiced her opinion. On Friday, Khalifa took to her social media to reiterate the same message she shared with Díaz-Canel back in July 2021, using the popular derogatory term associated with the leader appointed by Raúl Castro.
“Díaz-Canel singao,” Khalifa declared on X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing a post from Cuban journalist Mario J. Pentón about the deteriorating energy crisis affecting the Cuban populace. Pentón's post highlighted how the island was nearly at a standstill due to widespread power outages, including a video of Cubans resorting to cooking with wood due to shortages of gas and electricity.
Living in the United States, Khalifa was well-informed and engaged with the Cuban reality in the days leading up to the July 11th protests. She used her platform to speak out against Díaz-Canel, condemning the poverty and oppression faced by Cubans. On July 10, 2021, she became a trending topic among Cuban internet users after she referred to Díaz-Canel as "trash" for his handling of the health crisis on the island. "Dude, you are trash," the renowned actress stated, offering her support to Cuba amidst its health crisis.
Not satisfied with calling Díaz-Canel "trash," Mia also tweeted: “Good morning to everyone except @DiazCanelB, singao.” Her remarks sparked a wave of memes that irked Cuban authorities, prompting swift dismissive responses from the regime’s representatives, including Díaz-Canel himself.
“It’s remarkable how they have used every YouTuber and influencer available on social media for this campaign, including a particular artist with certain characteristics, who initially spoke against the blockade but later seemed pressured to call me a tyrant, among other derogatory terms,” Díaz-Canel commented at the time.
Mia responded to Díaz-Canel’s remarks: “Listen, singao... No government pays me to raise awareness about their inhumanity towards their people. I do it for free and in my spare time.”
Following the 11th of July demonstrations, Díaz-Canel stated, “There is a media theme and the warming that is done on social networks. Was it present in what happened yesterday or not? We are observing that in recent weeks, the campaign against the Cuban revolution on social networks has intensified, presenting narratives around the shortages we are experiencing.”
Since then, every time Mia comments on the Cuban situation, social media ignites with memes and messages reminiscing about the events before July 11th, humorously speculating about the potential for another social upheaval, with the actress serving as an unlikely barometer.