Cuban Regime Accuses Mike Hammer of Spreading Lies About Revolution's Downfall

The head of the U.S. mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, has become a thorn in the side of the Cuban regime, which now accuses him of spreading falsehoods about the "revolution's" failure. The regime's propaganda machine swiftly responded to Hammer's press conference held in Miami last Friday, where he addressed U.S. media, with an article penned by Johana Tablada, the deputy director of the United States Directorate at Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX).

Tablada accused Hammer of lying in his comments regarding the revolution's collapse due to the lack of "electricity, fuel shortages, food, and medicine," claiming that these issues are unrelated to any U.S. policy. She asserted, "False!!!: The unilateral coercive measures of the U.S. against Cuba—known as the blockade—have a direct and severe impact on access to financing, technology, supplies, and medications, and are recognized even by the UN as the main obstacle to Cuban development," as published in Cubadebate.

Hammer's Mission and the Cuban Regime's Response

True to the regime's rhetoric, Tablada did not take any responsibility for the ongoing crisis on the island, dismissing Hammer's claims as fabrications. She argued that while there is indeed an economic crisis, solely blaming the Cuban government is an oversimplification that overlooks the multifaceted economic, financial, and commercial war imposed by Washington for over six decades.

Moreover, she criticized Hammer for his recent tours around the island, where he engaged with ordinary Cubans, opposition figures, and civil society members, labeling him an interventionist. Tablada continued the regime's narrative by referring to the families of political prisoners as "figures directly or indirectly financed by the U.S.," portraying them as victims of the regime while allegedly calling for subversion, sabotage, or violent acts.

Propaganda and Accusations

The remainder of Tablada's article mirrored the usual rhetoric of the Cuban regime, blaming the U.S. government for the island's structural crisis and denying the existence of opposition and civil society. Tablada suggested that Hammer's press conference aimed to, among other things, "install a failed state narrative about Cuba, legitimize diplomatic interference as solidarity, whitewash U.S. sanctions, and deflect responsibility from the blockade."

Last Friday, Hammer stated in Miami that public dissatisfaction on the Island is widespread and that "the vast majority" of Cubans believe "the Revolution has failed." Having visited every province since his appointment, Hammer painted a grim picture during a press briefing with U.S. media, describing the dire conditions he observed while meeting with civil society representatives and activists.

"There's no electricity; you've seen the blackouts; there's a shortage of fuel, food, and medicine. And this, people recognize that the Cuban regime is responsible. It has nothing to do with any U.S. policy," he asserted.

Escalating Diplomatic Tensions

Hammer emphasized that his mission has been to listen firsthand to the Cuban people, including those traditionally aligned with the state apparatus, and despite the surveillance imposed on him, he is committed to continuing these tours. "I've been traveling across the country and asking to see if there is interest among ordinary Cubans to meet with us to hear their concerns, their experiences, their dreams... even their criticisms of the U.S. government," he stated.

In his remarks, Hammer highlighted that the current U.S. administration plans to intensify its stance towards the regime. "The sanctions announced this Wednesday are a beginning, not an end. More will come, I can assure you," he warned, referring to recent measures against Cuban officials linked to human rights violations.

The article by Tablada is part of a recent surge in attacks on the U.S. diplomat through regime-friendly channels and social media, accusing him of acting as an "imperial envoy," violating diplomatic protocols, and pursuing a supposed "hybrid warfare" strategy against Cuba. Since his arrival in Havana in November 2024, Mike Hammer has maintained an active agenda of meetings with civil society actors, which has visibly unsettled the state apparatus. In recent months, Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned U.S. diplomats three times to express its "strong protest" over what it considers acts of "interference."

Meanwhile, Cuban officials have employed incendiary speeches and unverified data to bolster the narrative that the U.S. is financing opposition figures with destabilizing intentions, citing organizations like the NED (National Endowment for Democracy) or USAID as sources of foreign funding for figures like Soler or Ferrer, the latter once again unjustly imprisoned.