Raúl Alejandro Palmero Fernández, who holds the position of first secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Union of Young Communists in Havana and is also a deputy in the National Assembly of People's Power, took to Twitter on Saturday to express his disdain for President Donald Trump. Palmero referred to Trump as an "unhinged tangerine" in reaction to the latest measures announced by Washington against Cuba.
"Unsettled, the unhinged tangerine, announces new measures, signs three pamphlets, and threatens to send an aircraft carrier to our shores," Palmero wrote, using the hashtag #DefendTheHomeland.
The official also boasted about collecting "around 6.2 million signatures against the war and embargo" and noted that "over 500,000 residents of Havana marched on May 1st," referencing the political event that took place the previous day in front of the U.S. Embassy on Havana's Malecón.
Palmero's remarks followed a day after Trump signed a new executive order to expand sanctions on Cuba. This order blocks all assets within the United States belonging to individuals, companies, or organizations that engage with sanctioned Cuban entities in sectors such as energy, mining, defense, security, and financial services.
The decree also pressures foreign banks that facilitate transactions with the Cuban government, threatening them with account closures on Wall Street or a ban on operating in U.S. dollars.
Beyond the economic sanctions, Trump claimed that the United States would take control of Cuba "almost immediately" after the conclusion of the war in Iran, making this statement during a private dinner at the Forum Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. He also threatened to send the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the island's coast.
The Cuban regime's response was swift. President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the measures as "genocidal" and evidence of the "moral poverty" of the U.S. government. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez labeled them as "unilateral, illegal, and abusive."
The May Day march was relocated from Revolution Square to the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribunal, near the U.S. Embassy, under the slogan "Defend the Homeland." Raúl Castro presided over the event, marking his first public appearance since December 2025, when he received two books containing over 6.2 million signatures from the government campaign "My Signature for the Homeland."
Critics suggested that the change of venue was an attempt to mask the low turnout for the parade. The day before the event, independent journalist Ángel Cuza was arrested in front of his daughter.
Palmero has a history of digital activism in support of the regime. His account @rpalmero1 was linked to the DeZurdaTeam network, from which Twitter suspended 526 accounts in 2022 for violating its rules, although his account remained active.
The new sanctions add to more than 240 measures accumulated since January 2026, during which Cuban energy imports have plummeted by 80% to 90%, resulting in blackouts lasting 10 to 25 hours daily in over 55% of the national territory.
Impact of U.S. Sanctions on Cuba
What are the recent sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Cuba?
The recent U.S. sanctions block all assets within the United States belonging to individuals, companies, or organizations involved with sanctioned Cuban entities in sectors like energy, mining, defense, security, and financial services. They also target foreign banks facilitating transactions with the Cuban government.
How has Cuba responded to the new U.S. measures?
Cuban officials, including President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, have condemned the new measures as "genocidal" and "unilateral," accusing the U.S. government of moral poverty.