Cuban Communist Party Secretary in Ciego de Ávila Claims Díaz-Canel Exemplifies "Defeating the Yankees"

Amidst one of the deepest crises Cuba has faced in decades, the Cuban regime once again showcases its ability to feign normalcy through propaganda spectacles. This time, the focal point of the charade is Ciego de Ávila, a province chosen by the Communist Party's Central Committee to host the national event for July 26. Far from sparking enthusiasm, this commemoration now feels hollow and outdated to millions of Cubans struggling daily for basic necessities like cooking oil, bread, or even a few minutes of power.

Julio Heriberto Gómez Casanova, the Party secretary in the region, was the first to celebrate. In a televised event, he not only applauded the "honor" but, in a display of unwavering loyalty to the regime’s delusion, declared that Díaz-Canel exemplifies how "we can indeed defeat the Yankees" and achieve a "prosperous socialism" in Cuba. His remarks starkly contrast with the harsh daily realities faced by residents of Ciego de Ávila: power outages lasting over 20 hours, bread rationed every other day, insufficient water, starvation wages, a ruined agricultural sector, and widespread despair.

Dark Celebrations Amidst Crisis

These celebrations are not new. Just two weeks ago, during a massive blackout, local authorities marked the nomination of the venue with a grotesque parade of police motorcycles, state vehicles honking, and people waving flags from trucks. A video sent by a local resident to CiberCuba depicted a city shrouded in darkness while the authorities celebrated a recognition devoid of practical significance. The scene seemed straight out of a satirical sketch: propaganda in motion while the populace can’t even switch on a light bulb.

Díaz-Canel joined in the enthusiasm, writing on X, "Congratulations to Ciego de Ávila for the July 26 venue! It was earned through effort, perseverance, and the talent of its people," reinforcing a narrative that only exists in official press reports and the air-conditioned rooms of the Central Committee.

A Leader Who Has Conquered Nothing

The assertion by a PCC leader that Díaz-Canel exemplifies "defeating the Yankees" is not only historically inaccurate but also highlights the vast disconnect between official rhetoric and national reality. Díaz-Canel has not overcome the "Yankees," nor has he conquered hunger, inflation, or the mass exodus that is emptying the country’s towns and cities.

Under his leadership, Cuba has spiraled into economic collapse, energy crises, political repression, and unprecedented outward migration. Over half a million Cubans have left the country in just the past two years. Stores accepting pesos remain empty, while those selling in dollars—currency inaccessible to most—only showcase their insulting elitism.

The image the government attempts to sell with slogans like "yes we can" and televised setups from banana fields groomed for the camera is as artificial as it is offensive. A recent broadcast from Ciego de Ávila’s banana fields on the Mesa Redonda talk show epitomized cynicism, projecting a scene of abundance, control, planning, and agricultural success that simply does not exist.

While producers echoed official slogans, most Cubans were left wondering when their rationed rice would return to local stores.

July 26: A Day Devoid of Meaning

Choosing Ciego de Ávila as the central venue for the July 26 event has nothing to do with the rebellious and foundational spirit once associated with the date. For everyday Cubans, it has become just another day of empty slogans, unfulfilled promises, and squandering of public resources on events that do nothing to alleviate the crisis.

What good is painting facades, erecting stages, printing flags, and mobilizing workers for marches and rallies when the country teeters on the brink of energy and food shortages? What exactly is the regime celebrating when it can't even ensure a proper school breakfast or a medical consultation with basic supplies?

The Cuban people need more than symbolic acts and propaganda gestures. They require real solutions: food on the table, medicines in pharmacies, electricity, water, public transportation, decent wages, and above all, the freedom to determine their future without being dragged into an endless revolutionary performance that long ago lost its meaning.

As the state apparatus insists on portraying Díaz-Canel as the hero of an imaginary battle, the real war the people face is against hunger, scarcity, and deceit. And that battle, Díaz-Canel has already lost.