On November 5th, Cuban actress Susana Pérez encouraged fellow Cubans living in the United States to seize the opportunity to vote in a democratic nation. She reminisced about her time in Cuba, where she had always longed for the chance to elect her own president rather than merely voting for local delegates.
“All of us who lived for many years in our homeland constantly complained about having to vote for people we sometimes didn’t even know, individuals who were already selected. The president was handpicked because, in reality, no one had the chance to elect the president,” the actress remarked.
Reflecting on Past Elections
During a live session on Instagram, Susana shared a personal story about an election in Cuba. The political propaganda urged citizens to vote for everyone on the ballot, yet her family of four chose to invalidate their votes by marking "no." Despite their efforts, the head of the polling station informed them that no ballots had been invalidated.
“Our votes didn’t count for anything. Whether candidates were pre-selected or not, it didn’t matter anymore. It was meaningless what you wrote—no, yes, down with the dictatorship, Díaz-Canel whatever—it didn’t matter,” she explained.
Embracing New Opportunities
“In this country that has welcomed us, given us the opportunity to work, live, and have what we lacked back home, but most importantly, freedom—that's the most crucial part. They are giving us the chance to vote here,” Susana reflected. “I’m not going to campaign for whom you should vote for, or against. I leave that to you, but what you should not do is refrain from voting.”
The actress mentioned that she had cast her vote via email over two months ago, highlighting her commitment to participating in the democratic process.