Silvio Rodríguez criticizes U.S. governance, calls for Cuban economic reform
Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez said the world is run by an authoritarian U.S. regime and called for changes to Cuba's economic system in a recent interview.
7:09 PM
Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez said in an interview that the world is governed by an authoritarian regime based in the United States, while also expressing criticism of his own country's economic model.
"The world is run by an authoritarian, warmongering, thieving regime. And it is not Cuba," Rodríguez said in an interview with El País published Wednesday. He directed his criticism at the U.S. government, describing it as belligerent and corrupt.
When asked whether he saw a scenario in which President Donald Trump could attempt to take Cuba, Rodríguez said he considered it possible, citing what he called the United States' extensive history of interventions, sabotage, and invasions in the region.
Rodríguez, 79, has spent his career as a musician addressing the Cuban Revolution, its leaders, ideals, and figures associated with guerrilla movements. In the interview, he sought to clarify the nature of his recent public image holding a rifle. He stated that the weapon was not real but rather a replica, and that he had received documentation from the Cuban government in case of armed aggression.
On Cuba's internal affairs, Rodríguez expressed reservations about the government's economic approach. He characterized the government's vision as "orthodox and closed" in economic matters and advocated for a less rigid form of socialism. "Ration-book socialism is very idealistic," he said, referring to Cuba's rationing system.
Rodríguez emphasized that concrete changes were necessary. "I believe there are things that have to be transformed, that cannot continue as they are," he stated.
Regarding his artistic output, Rodríguez distinguished between political content and propaganda in his work. "In my songs there is politicization, but not propaganda," he said, describing this as a summary of both his artistic trajectory and his approach to public engagement.
On Latin American politics more broadly, Rodríguez expressed disappointment about regional developments. "It is bitter that we fought for Latin American unity and suddenly there are countries that sell themselves," he said, alluding to what he characterized as countries abandoning regional solidarity.
Rodríguez is widely admired by leftist movements globally and rejected by Cuban opposition figures, who refer to him as "the troubadour of the regime." The interview took place at the Ojalá studios in Havana.