Last Sunday, Canal Caribe aired a report in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Yuri Gagarin Military Industrial Company, presenting it as a cornerstone of technological advancement for the Revolutionary Air Force. However, the video backfired, triggering a flood of sarcasm and ridicule from Cubans themselves.
Produced by the Revolutionary Armed Forces' own film team, the report highlighted as a "foundational milestone" the 1966 repair of a MiG-15, a Soviet fighter jet designed in 1947 that was already considered outdated at the time. As a recent achievement, the report noted the repair of an AN-26 transport aircraft, another Soviet-era model from the 1960s.
The official narrative claimed that over six decades, the company has "modernized and repaired more than 1,200 aircraft," a figure met with immediate skepticism by commentators.
"They must mean they’ve fixed the same plane 1,200 times," a Facebook user quipped mockingly.
Another glaring issue was the self-certification aspect, as the report noted that the company is "certified and accredited" by Cuba's Civil Aviation Engineering Directorate, the same state entity that authorizes its operations. "Certified by the very body that allows them to fix planes. It’s a joke. Only in a communist country do things like this happen," wrote Enrique Boado.
Perhaps the most striking contradiction came from the report itself, inadvertently admitting the island's energy crisis. "Keeping the industry alive is a huge challenge, given the country's fuel shortages and all the difficulties. We have to reinvent ourselves by finding other working hours when there’s no electricity," a company executive admitted on camera.
The anniversary, May 10, coincided with Mother's Day, adding a layer of irony noted by several Cubans. "Today is Mother's Day, and we can't even enjoy the basic luxury of electricity. But sure, keep celebrating your achievements that do nothing for us," an online user commented.
Military Context and Public Criticism
The military context further highlights the stark contrast. According to analysis by former lieutenant colonel and pilot Orestes Lorenzo Pérez, over 60% of the Revolutionary Armed Forces' radars are non-operational. The MiG-21s were retired around 2020 due to inoperability, and the MiG-29s are out of service due to a lack of Russian spare parts.
Retired lieutenant colonel Mario Riva Morales was even more blunt earlier this year: "The Cuban military has no chance against the United States."
The Yuri Gagarin Company is linked to the military conglomerate GAESA, which controls between 40% and 70% of the Cuban economy. Just days before the report aired, Senator Marco Rubio announced new sanctions against GAESA and approximately 180 companies affiliated with the military conglomerate.
Content creator Osmani Pardo Guerra summed up the widespread reaction on Instagram: "While the rest of the world is racing for autonomous drones and artificial intelligence, the island is busy boasting about fixing a MiG-15. A plane that was trendy when the Beatles were just getting started."
Key Insights into Cuba's Military and Economic Situation
Why did the report on the MiG-15 repair receive backlash on social media?
The report was criticized for celebrating outdated technology as an achievement, leading to ridicule and sarcasm from Cubans who saw the focus on repairing an obsolete aircraft as out of touch with current technological advancements.
What does the report reveal about Cuba's energy situation?
The report inadvertently highlighted Cuba's ongoing energy crisis, with a company executive acknowledging the challenges in maintaining operations amid fuel shortages and a lack of consistent electricity.
How does the military context affect public perception in Cuba?
Public perception is negatively influenced by reports of non-operational military equipment, with the retirement of MiG-21s and the lack of parts for MiG-29s highlighting the broader challenges faced by the Cuban military.