Father Jorge Luis Pérez Soto On Tyranny In Cuba

In a homily in the Francisco de Paula Parish Church in Habana on October 18, 2020 father Jorge Luis Pérez Soto read a passage in Matthew 22:15-21 in reference to tax owed to political authority and drew several conclusions on the meaning of Jesus Christ’s response to the Pharisees when he said: “Give Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what belongs to God.” and established parallels to the tyrant rulers of Cuba.

He said “A Catholic cannot be apolitical as such word connotes cowardice … Hinting at the dictatorship in Cuba he said: “The apparatus of fascination and fear with which Caesar rules his empire is immoral.” He also pointed out that “political power is not above the people. When a ruler is not willing to resign, to step aside for the common good, for the good of the people, , for the good of society, that Caesar is a tyrant because no ruler is above the people.”

Here is the English translation of the key moments in this powerful homily filled with criticism of those clinging to power at any cost in Cuba, regardless of the human cost for he Cuban people.