New Leadership Appointments in Cuba's Ministry of Communications

In recent developments, Cuba's Ministry of Communications (MINCOM) has announced a series of leadership changes within its executive structure. Telecom engineer Pablo Julio Pla Feria has been elevated to the position of Vice Minister of Communications. Meanwhile, Douglas Leyva López, previously serving as director in the Las Tunas province, has taken on the role of President of the Cuban Postal Service Business Group.

The official statement from MINCOM did not clarify whether Pablo Julio Pla Feria’s promotion is linked to the removal of Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández, who recently appeared on the Mesa Redonda following the controversial ETECSA rate hike while Minister Mayra Averich was on an official trip to Russia.

Pablo Julio Pla Feria: A New Vice Minister in the Spotlight

Pablo Julio Pla Feria, the newly appointed vice minister, began his career in 1993 as a training technician at the Integral Communications Company. From 1994, he held various technical and managerial roles within ETECSA's Territorial Management in Las Tunas for nearly two decades. His roles included serving as a "Telephone Traffic Specialist, Deputy Manager of the Public Telephony Branch," and director of the territorial management.

In 2012, he became the territorial delegate of the Ministry of Informatics and Communications in Las Tunas, eventually moving to the main office of the Ministry. There, he first served as director of Investments and Technological Development, and later as general director of Communications. By 2020, he led the National Directorate of the Young Club of Computing and Electronics, and since 2022, he has been the President of the Cuban Postal Service Business Group.

During his tenure, he spearheaded projects such as automating postal processes, developing the DTO2 platform for e-commerce, and establishing a state-owned micro-business for messaging services that started operations in December 2024. Additionally, new agreements were made with logistical operators.

Douglas Leyva López Takes Charge of the Cuban Postal Service

Douglas Leyva López is the new president of the Cuban Postal Service Business Group, having previously directed the Postal Company in Las Tunas. With a background in education, Leyva began his career in 1991 as a secondary school teacher. He later held leadership roles in educational centers and the Municipal Education Directorate before joining the postal system in Manatí in 2006.

In subsequent years, he rose through the ranks of the Cuban Postal Service, serving as deputy general director in the territorial division and later as deputy director. Since 2016, he has been the general director of the company in Las Tunas, where, according to the official report, the entity achieved "positive results in meeting set plans and goals." Initiatives during his tenure included the introduction of new commercial services, improvements in working conditions, and sustained economic growth despite sector challenges.

No further details have been released about other possible restructurings within the organization. These new appointments in the Ministry of Communications come at a particularly sensitive time for the sector.

Challenges Amidst Rising Tensions

In recent weeks, ETECSA's tariff increases on both mobile services and internet access have sparked significant backlash across social media platforms, independent media outlets, and among users on the island. The measure, implemented amidst an economic climate characterized by inflation and the devaluation of the Cuban peso, has faced criticism for its impact on access to essential services like digital communication and e-commerce.

This situation has renewed public scrutiny of the telecommunications system's management and the role of the Ministry of Communications, including its subordinate companies. The recent changes at the helm of the sector may be, in part, a response to these tensions, though the official communication does not directly address these issues.

The challenges for the new leadership are substantial: restoring user trust, ensuring stable services, and advancing technological modernization in a complex national environment.