Gerardo Hernández's Controversial Remarks on Cuban Emigration: A Denial of Reality

In the latest episode of the government-backed podcast "From the Presidency," Cuba's leader Miguel Díaz-Canel engaged in conversation with Johana Tablada de la Torre, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), and Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, the coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). They discussed the United States' recent decision to keep Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Under the title "Cuba is not a terrorist"—a recurring tactic by the regime to conflate the nation with its government rather than its people—the program served as a platform for state propaganda defending Cuba's totalitarian system.

However, it was Hernández Nordelo, a former spy from the Wasp Network convicted in the U.S. for conspiracy to commit murder, who made one of the most controversial statements: "The story that Cubans leave Cuba in search of freedom is something not even Marco Rubio believes." This remark is not only cynical but also profoundly insulting to the hundreds of thousands of Cubans who, over the past decades, have risked their lives by crossing the sea, jungles, and facing criminal organizations to escape the communist regime.

The Reality Behind Cuban Emigration

Mass emigration from Cuba has been a constant since 1959, driven by political repression, lack of individual freedoms, and the economic collapse caused by the regime itself. Hernández Nordelo's denial of this reality is unsurprising. As a senior representative of the CDR, a neighborhood surveillance and informant network created by Fidel Castro to suppress dissent, his role is to perpetuate the official narrative and downplay the suffering of millions of Cubans.

Meanwhile, statistics contradict the "story" he mentions. In just the past two years, over 850,000 Cubans have arrived in the United States in what is the largest exodus in Cuban history. Johana Tablada, deputy director general of the U.S. Directorate at MINREX, commented to Russia Today in October 2023: "The 200,000 whom the U.S. thought would overthrow the government... emigrated."

The vast majority do not flee for economic reasons, as the Castro propaganda suggests, but because they cannot thrive in a system that suppresses individual rights, private enterprise, and freedom of expression. Denying that Cubans are seeking freedom by emigrating is to ignore the systematic repression against independent journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens. It is to forget the political prisoners, gag laws, and constant human rights violations on the island.

Marco Rubio's Stance on Cuban Freedom

Hernández Nordelo's mention of Marco Rubio is no coincidence. The Cuban-American senator has been one of the most vocal critics of the Cuban regime within U.S. politics, consistently denouncing the lack of freedoms and repression on the island. Rubio has repeatedly pointed out that the Cuban exodus is not solely for economic reasons but due to the desperation over the lack of human and political rights.

Following the July 11, 2021 protests, the senator stated that "a new generation of Cubans is tired of living without freedom," in response to the violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators calling for change in Cuba.

Rubio has been steadfast in his support for the Cuban dissidence, highlighting the bravery of groups like the Ladies in White, who have faced harassment and imprisonment for demanding the release of political prisoners. He has emphasized that the Cuban dictatorship not only oppresses its people but also poses a threat to U.S. security. In November 2024, he warned that the Cuban government remains linked to illicit activities, including collusion with authoritarian regimes and transnational criminal groups.

Moreover, he has rejected the Castro regime's false narratives about the U.S. embargo, pointing out that the main cause of Cuba's impoverishment is the regime's mismanagement and centralized economic model, not U.S. sanctions. In the past, Rubio cautioned that Fidel Castro's death would not mean freedom for Cubans as long as the repressive system remained intact.

On multiple occasions, the senator has expressed hope that the Cuban people will achieve democracy and respect for human rights. In a joint statement with Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar in May 2023, Rubio reaffirmed his commitment to the Cuban freedom cause, expressing his desire for a future where a free Cuba can be celebrated.