Gerardo Hernández's Attempt to Show Solidarity During Pinar del Río Blackout Backfires Amid Mockery

Amid an unprecedented energy crisis, Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, a former Cuban spy and now the national coordinator for the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), sought to project an image of solidarity with the Cuban public. He released a video on social media claiming he was "sharing the blackout with neighbors in the Maica neighborhood of Pinar del Río." Rather than fostering empathy, the post sparked a wave of outrage online.

Numerous internet users questioned the authenticity of his gesture, accusing him of exploiting the people's suffering for political propaganda. "You were there for an hour at most, then back to your nice hotel to enjoy life," commented a dentist. Another wrote, "Just a quick video, then back to your air conditioning, your clean car, and your stocked fridge, with a dirty conscience and an empty soul." A third simply stated, "Mockery upon mockery."

Critics pointed out an undeniable truth: regime leaders do not endure blackouts like ordinary Cubans. Gerardo, along with other members of the "Cuban Five" who were freed through a diplomatic exchange during Barack Obama's presidency, reside in upscale areas of Havana like Kohly and Miramar, likely equipped with private generators and all imaginable comforts. His fleeting visit to Pinar del Río was perceived by many as yet another mockery of a population exhausted by years of hardship.

Enduring Hardships in Pinar del Río

The situation in Pinar del Río has become unbearable, with entire communities experiencing power outages for over 30 consecutive hours. Recently, residents of the Hermanos Cruz neighborhood in the provincial capital took to the streets, banging pots and shouting in protest. The demonstrators even confronted the first secretary of the Communist Party, Yamilé Ramos Cordero, who deflected blame by saying the country "has no oil," which led to jeers from those present.

A young person's comment on Hernández Nordelo's post encapsulated the general sentiment of the people in Pinar del Río: "I don't see any leader going over 20 hours without power… or a leader with an empty fridge."

Previous Attempts to Downplay the Crisis

This isn't the first time Gerardo has tried to sugarcoat the severity of the electrical crisis. In March, he posted a video of his child explaining a "family game" to pass the time during a blackout, an attempt to trivialize and normalize the energy collapse resulting from the government's inefficient economic management. More recently, the ex-spy mocked the widespread blackout that affected Spain and Portugal, labeling Europe as a "failed continent," in reference to the hashtag #CubaFailedState used by critics of the Castro regime online.

In his efforts to deflect attention from Cuba's own debacle, he ignored the fact that the blackout in those countries was an isolated incident, whereas in Cuba, the lack of electricity is a routine part of life, affecting hospitals, schools, businesses, and homes alike. The Cuban people, suffering from the consequences of an ineffective, centralized, and authoritarian system, find no solace in these staged scenarios by regime leaders. Far from bridging the gap, these maneuvers highlight the political elite's complete disconnect from the reality faced by the majority. As one social media user put it: "You should be imprisoned in Guantánamo."