A Cuban poet paid tribute to Miguel Díaz-Canel this past Friday with an impromptu rhyme during an informal exchange at the Anti-Imperialist Platform José Martí in Havana, drawing a parallel between Díaz-Canel's name and that of Fidel Castro.
"Díaz-Canel, in defiance, is a man who has guidance, because the name Miguel and the surname Canel, I believe his parents chose them feeling they rhymed with Fidel," the poet remarked.
This occurred on the sidelines of an event organized to support Raúl Castro, following the release of a U.S. Department of Justice indictment on May 20 against the former leader for the 1996 shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue planes.
The video of this moment was shared by the official Presidency Cuba Facebook account.
What stands out in this context is that Díaz-Canel, despite attending the event donned in an olive-green military uniform, did not address the crowd, diverging from his usual behavior in such settings.
The only formal speech was delivered by Gerardo Hernández, the national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, who conveyed a brief message attributed to Raúl Castro.
The honoree himself did not attend the event held in his honor, which sparked ridicule across social media. "Did the honoree not attend his own event?" a Cuban user questioned. "And Raúl in hiding!" another user added.
The rhyme linking "Díaz-Canel" to "Fidel" echoes the regime's official narrative of revolutionary continuity: the government seeks to legitimize the leader by symbolically tying him to the Revolution's founder. Wearing the olive-green uniform—rich in symbolism since 1959—further reinforces this image.
Raúl Castro is set to turn 95 on June 3, 2026. The regime he and his brother established remains determined to portray their protégé as the rightful heir to a legacy that, as Friday's rhyme suggests, even his name foretells.
Díaz-Canel's Leadership and Revolutionary Legacy
Why was the rhyme comparing Díaz-Canel to Fidel Castro created?
The rhyme was crafted to draw a symbolic connection between Díaz-Canel and Fidel Castro, reinforcing the regime's narrative of continuity and legitimizing Díaz-Canel as a rightful successor.
What was the significance of Díaz-Canel wearing an olive-green uniform at the event?
The olive-green uniform is steeped in symbolism, representing the revolutionary legacy since 1959. By wearing it, Díaz-Canel reinforces his connection to the revolutionary past and its leaders.
How did social media react to the absence of Raúl Castro and Díaz-Canel's speech?
Raúl Castro's absence and Díaz-Canel's silence during the event led to mockery on social media, with users questioning the absence of the honoree and making sarcastic remarks about Raúl's whereabouts.