Amidst one of the harshest economic and social crises Cuba has faced in decades, Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Granma, has resurfaced on social media championing "revolutionary unity." Her message starkly highlights the disconnect between the authoritarian regime and the harsh reality Cubans endure daily.
In a video recorded from her office and shared on Facebook, Ortiz Barceló recited a monologue filled with slogans and heroic references to the Granma landing and the expeditionaries' rifles, all while portraits of Fidel and Raúl Castro adorned her office walls.
Speaking in a solemn tone, she appealed to the "faith and hope in victory" and urged "all revolutionaries to unite" under the inspiration of José Martí, pointing to another portrait of the "national hero" hanging on the wall.
This scene, reminiscent of the Department of Revolutionary Orientation (DOR) of the 1970s, was released this week as the country grapples with power outages lasting over twenty hours, a plummeting national currency, and an unprecedented shortage of goods. In this context, Ortiz Barceló's rhetoric felt even more hollow than the usual propaganda.
The tone and setting—a leader delivering her speech in front of portraits and slogans—reflected the nationalist indoctrination style the regime is attempting to revive amid its crumbling credibility.
Yet, revolutionary nostalgia cannot feed the hungry or heal despair. Each word in the video echoed like the hollow remnants of a bygone era, a mechanical repetition of the same ideological script the Party uses to maintain control through the foundational myth of the Sierra Maestra.
Ortiz Barceló, known for her repressive zeal, once again finds herself at the center of public criticism through this propagandistic episode.
She was the one who recently showcased the elderly Francisca, forced to recant after questioning Díaz-Canel about losing her bed, and earlier, the detained mother Mayelín Carrasco, "very regretful" for protesting in Río Cauto.
Her shift from enforcer to propagandist confirms her ongoing mission: to discipline, correct, and indoctrinate.
Rather than inspire, the video evokes visceral rejection, seeking to reaffirm submission. Instead of offering solutions, the Communist Party Secretary proposed "fidelity." In place of empathy, she demanded obedience. And instead of leadership, she delivered liturgy.
In a Cuba bleeding from scarcity, fear, and emigration, invoking the "spirit of Cinco Palmas" offends the intelligence of an exhausted populace.
Ortiz Barceló's message does not unite; it divides. It does not encourage; it reminds, with an almost military tone, that there is only space for those who conform. And amid these recycled slogans, the silence of those who've stopped believing grows louder.
Impact of Political Propaganda in Cuba
What is the significance of Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló's recent video?
The video signifies the regime's attempt to revive nationalist indoctrination amid a severe crisis, highlighting the disconnect between the government and the Cuban reality.
How does Ortiz Barceló's message reflect the current state of Cuba?
Her message underscores the regime's reliance on outdated revolutionary rhetoric that fails to address the dire economic and social conditions faced by Cubans.