Cuban activist Amelia Calzadilla delivered a sharp rebuttal to regime spokesperson Humberto López after the state-run program Razones de Cuba launched a media assault on the independent outlet El Toque. The program accused El Toque of manipulating the informal exchange rate and engaging in economic terrorism against the nation.
In a Facebook post, Calzadilla called López a “repugnant entity” and dismantled the arguments presented on state television, asserting that Cuba’s monetary crisis is not due to El Toque but rather the regime itself.
Calzadilla elaborated that the surge in the dollar’s value is a result of currency shortages and the government’s policies. “The state created a critical need among the population to acquire dollars, as failing to do so would lead to starvation,” she remarked, referencing the government’s dollar stores. This policy was implemented by former economy minister Alejandro Gil, who is currently facing trial by the regime.
She urged, “Stop looking for scapegoats. For the currency to decrease in value, there must be accessible, affordable currency available to the public. If the state wants the dollar to lose value, here’s the solution: sell foreign currency without purchase limits through the nation’s banking network at a price the state deems appropriate,” Calzadilla insisted.
Calzadilla also mocked the accusation that El Toque is manipulating the exchange market. “Believing the currency rises because El Toque reports its prices is like thinking you’re sick because a lab test was conducted,” she quipped.
The activist concluded her statement with a direct challenge to the spokesperson: “Look, Humbertico, you’ve entered the lion’s den. As you admitted, you know nothing about economics, but not everyone is as uninformed as you.”
In the latest episode of Razones de Cuba, Humberto López accused El Toque of being part of a “comprehensive economic warfare program” funded by the United States, echoing Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez’s speech at the UN.
The report labeled the media outlet as a “subversive instrument” for publishing the informal exchange rate of the peso against the dollar, euro, and MLC, data millions of Cubans rely on due to the lack of official statistics. López suggested that the independent media could be committing economic terrorism against Cuba.
Without presenting evidence, state television claimed El Toque aims to “undermine the population’s income.” Official outlets such as Granma and Cubadebate echoed the attack, as the country grapples with one of its worst economic crises in history.
Calzadilla thus joined the chorus of voices defending press freedom and denouncing the Cuban regime’s attempts to blame independent media for the economic disaster caused by decades of mismanagement.
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