The Hispanic Caribbean literary canon of the 19th and 21st centuries—spanning Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic—frequently wrestles with the complex dynamics of narrative erasure and authorial control. While these vibrant traditions offer profound insights into regional identity, certain texts replicate systemic marginalization by silencing minoritized characters or speaking entirely for them or over them. Whether rendering Afro-Caribbean, Indigenous, queer, or working-class figures completely voiceless, or problematically assuming their perspectives through a privileged lens, authors within this geographic sphere can inadvertently reinforce colonial and class hierarchies. Examining specific instances of textual paternalism and manufactured silence reveals how the power of the pen can still be used to dictate who is allowed an authentic voice on the page.