The Torch March held on January 27th painted a picture more telling than any speech could: young people, compelled to march with lit torches on an island engulfed in darkness, while the torches of the historical Cuban figures remained decidedly extinguished.
Absent from the annual event dedicated to José Martí, and this time also marking Fidel Castro's centenary, were Raúl Castro (94), Ramiro Valdés (93), and José Ramón Machado Ventura (95).
The disparity was stark. As the handpicked leader Miguel Díaz-Canel evoked "historical continuity" before a crowd of coerced officials and students, state-run cameras failed to capture the usual image of the foundational trio of actual power in Cuba—those who upheld the revolution for decades through repression, slogans, and Soviet manuals.
None of the three nonagenarians made an appearance. There wasn't even a formal mention of them, as if their absence was a trivial detail and not the emblem of a fading era.
In the midst of a national blackout—both literally and politically—the march acted as a faith exercise in propaganda. Young people marched with flames while the nation remains in darkness; torches were lit to mask the lack of electricity... and leadership.
The silence of these aged commanders comes at a critical juncture: the energy crisis has reached unprecedented levels, the regime's diplomatic isolation worsens following Nicolás Maduro's capture, and the pressure from Donald Trump's administration—now with Marco Rubio at the helm of the State Department—leaves Havana without its primary oil supplier and without room to maneuver.
In this scenario, the absence of Raúl, Valdés, and Machado is not merely a matter of age or health. It represents a political void. Three men who defined Cuban repression, ideology, and economy for decades are vanishing just as the model they built crumbles amid blackouts, hunger, and distrust.
Last night, while Díaz-Canel attempted to ignite the flame of "continuity," Cubans on social media summed up the scene with irony: "Neither Raúl, nor Ramiro, nor Machado... nor power."
Perhaps the true homage to Martí wasn't the fiery march, but the silence of those who, after nearly a century, can no longer hold their own torch.
The Relics of Castroism's "Active Presence"
For years, the Cuban regime has relied on the same theatrical trick whenever the country falls apart: dust off its "historical leaders," hand them a microphone—or a stock photo—and present them as if they still commanded the nation.
Raúl Castro, Ramiro Valdés, and José Ramón Machado Ventura have become a sort of geriatric holy trinity of Castroism: three figures who no longer wield power, but whose images are still used to uphold the myth of "revolutionary continuity."
In 2025, for instance, General Raúl, at 94, would reappear every few weeks to "preside" over military meetings, "guide" the Party, or "order" the postponement of congresses, as if the Constitution were a minor formality and biology merely a suggestion.
Each appearance, meticulously choreographed by state media, was portrayed as an act of vigor and leadership. "The general is ready for action," official outlets would declare. In truth, it was a gesture of political survival: showing that the general still breathes and, by extension, so does the system.
Meanwhile, Ramiro Valdés continued a tour across half of Cuba, inaugurating solar parks that couldn't light a flashlight.
At 93, the veteran commander—billed by the regime as "the man who will save the electrical system"—has become an unintentional symbol of national absurdity: every time he cuts a ribbon, the power goes out.
Yet there he is, with his helmet and engineer's pose, reminding Cubans that the so-called revolution "keeps moving forward"... even if it's by pedaling.
And then there's José Ramón Machado Ventura, the most discreet of the three and, paradoxically, the most frequently cited by propaganda. At 95, the old Party bureaucrat still appears in Granma pages delivering lessons on socialist morality, austerity, and animal traction.
"I never worried about what I earned," he said in his last interview, without specifying whether he referred to his salary or the people's affection. His latest major contribution to the official discourse was recommending the cultivation of anamú, romerillo, and ginger as substitutes for modern pharmaceuticals.
Together, these three "historical leaders" function as legitimizing totems of a crumbling totalitarian regime.
The regime showcases them as emblems of strength, but the populace views them as relics: shadows of another century still posing for the camera while the country fades away. They are, ultimately, the guardians of a flame that no longer burns.
Understanding the Decline of Castroism
Why were Raúl Castro, Ramiro Valdés, and Machado Ventura absent from the Torch March?
Their absence is symbolic of the decline of an era, as these figures have defined Cuban politics for decades. It reflects not just their advanced age but also a political void at a critical time for the regime.
What challenges is the Cuban regime currently facing?
The regime is dealing with an unprecedented energy crisis, increased diplomatic isolation, particularly after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, and pressure from the U.S. government, leaving it without its main oil supplier and limited options.