Cuban State TV Spins Propaganda Amidst the Rubble: Justifying Rejection of U.S. Aid

Over the weekend, Cuban state television once again became a platform for political propaganda. Official journalist Jorge Legañoa Alonso, head of the state agency Prensa Latina, delivered an extensive commentary aimed at questioning the United States' humanitarian aid offer to Cuba following Hurricane Melissa. He portrayed the regime as the sole guarantor of solidarity and efficiency amidst the chaos.

This segment, aired on the National Television News, blended statistics, anecdotes, and emotional appeals to reconstruct the official narrative on international assistance while discrediting the actions of Washington and independent media outlets.

The main message was unmistakable: “The United States has offered nothing tangible,” and any controversy surrounding this would be “a manipulation by the anti-Cuban machinery.”

From the outset, the commentator adopted a moralizing tone, citing a Martí phrase—“Doing is the best way of saying”—to justify the supposed heroic actions of the Cuban state.

The narrative followed a familiar script seen in official discourses in recent days: deny Washington's offers, reaffirm the government's “transparency” in managing donations, and blame the embargo for all the material limitations the country faces.

“Cuba has extensive experience in managing donations and aid with transparency,” claimed Legañoa Alonso, referencing UN agencies and religious organizations as witnesses to the state's commitment.

The Realities Behind the Propaganda

However, the facts contradict the commentator's version. As documented in recent days, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly announced the United States' readiness to provide “immediate” humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people after Hurricane Melissa devastated several eastern provinces.

The U.S. Embassy in Havana and the State Department confirmed the existence of legal exemptions allowing private donations of food, medicine, and emergency supplies.

Despite these facts, Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) claimed that “no concrete offer” had been made and accused the media of “manipulating” the topic.

Days later, President Miguel Díaz-Canel declared that Cuba would “accept any help that is honest,” an ambiguous formula reiterating the regime's absolute control over any humanitarian channel. He also used the opportunity to label independent journalists and social media activists critical of his administration as "rats."

This declaration came as organizations like UNICEF and the UN had already sent shipments of medicines, mosquito nets, and sanitary kits to affected provinces, without transparent reporting from the Cuban government about the distribution of these resources.

Social Reaction and Public Distrust

While television repeats slogans, Cuban civil society has expressed distrust towards official channels. On social media, numerous citizens have questioned the regime's control over donations without accountability, recalling previous experiences where aid never reached those affected or was diverted to the black market and military institutions.

Community projects like “Dar es Dar,” initiated by activists inside and outside the country, have launched campaigns to channel direct aid, but the state maintains strict restrictions on the import of humanitarian materials and the creation of private funds.

In contrast, international organizations and foreign governments—such as Venezuela, Colombia, and India—have already sent shipments that received extensive media coverage, while the U.S. offer was minimized or denied.

Manipulating the Narrative Amid Crisis

Legañoa Alonso’s segment was not an isolated event. It fits into a broader communication strategy where the regime attempts to control the narrative regarding Hurricane Melissa and turn the tragedy into a demonstration of political strength.

The glorification of sacrifice, appeals to national unity, and demonization of the external enemy form a script that the media system repeats whenever the country faces a crisis.

The final message is not only defensive: it seeks to prevent the symbolic impact of the U.S. being perceived as a supportive actor to Cubans. If Washington is seen as a source of aid rather than aggression, one of the ideological pillars of Castroism weakens.

Thus, beyond the rubble and humanitarian urgency, Cuban state television continues its most loyal role: defending power, even when reality contradicts it.