While Cuba grapples with power outages lasting from 20 to 40 hours, chronic hunger, and widespread shortages, the regime's propaganda machine remains relentless. This past Saturday, the Cuban Book Institute unveiled the book "26" during the "Saturday of the Book" event in Old Havana, commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the Moncada Barracks assault.
Published by the Social Sciences Publishing House, this work compiles narratives from key figures of what the regime dubs the "Moncada epic": Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro, Haydeé Santamaría, Jesús Montané Oropesa, Melba Hernández, Pedro Miret, and Marta Rojas, among others.
Resurrecting the Past as a "New" Offering
The most striking aspect of this release is that it isn't truly new; the last print edition dates back to the 1970s. What the regime is now touting as a fresh release is actually a half-century-old book repackaged in a digital format. Michel Torres Corona, the official spokesperson and director of the Nuevo Milenio Publishing House, boldly described it as an "editorial novelty."
Ricardo Hernández Otero, a researcher and university professor, remarked that the book "pays tribute to the men and women who dedicated their lives to this cause over seventy years ago." The event was led by Juan Rodríguez Cabrera, president of the ICL.
A Stark Contrast to Cuban Reality
The disconnect with Cuba's current situation couldn't be more glaring. According to the Food Monitor Program, a staggering 96.91% of the population lacks adequate access to food, with 33.9% of households having at least one member go to bed hungry in 2025. Despite this, the regime's cultural apparatus finds resources to reissue tales of the 1953 armed venture.
The irony is compounded by the fact that since March 2, Granma and Juventud Rebelde have reduced printing to once a week with merely eight pages, and provincial newspapers have ceased paper circulation due to lack of materials. Yet, there's enough paper—or its digital equivalent—for publishing revolutionary glorification books.
Continued Propaganda Despite Resource Scarcity
In October 2025, the regime released the "Raúl Castro Ruz, Selected Works" collection, spanning nine volumes and over 5,000 pages, partially funded by 3,000 collections donated by the Chinese Party and Government. On May 30, 2026, the book "Revolution, the Most Beautiful Work" was launched to celebrate Raúl Castro's 95th birthday. While newspapers suffer paper shortages, laudatory books face no such restrictions.
The central national event of July 26 was held in Pinar del Río, a province the official narrative portrays as a success story. The reality, however, is starkly different: over 40,000 families remain homeless, hurricane Ian's damages are only 63% resolved four years later, neighborhoods have been without regular water supply for over two years, and power outages exceed 30 consecutive hours.
The Moncada Barracks assault took place on July 26, 1953, when young rebels led by Fidel Castro attacked the Santiago de Cuba military installation in a failed attempt to overthrow Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship. Despite its military failure, the regime turned it into a foundational myth. Seventy-three years later, the propaganda wheels continue turning, books keep being published, and the Cuban people remain hungry, powerless, and without a future.
Understanding the Impact of Revolutionary Propaganda in Cuba
What is the significance of the book "26" in Cuban propaganda?
The book "26" is significant as it compiles stories from the Moncada Barracks assault, an event the regime uses to uphold its narrative of revolutionary heroism. Despite being an old publication, its reissue in digital format continues to serve as a tool for promoting the regime's ideology.
How does the Cuban regime prioritize resources for propaganda?
The regime prioritizes resources for propaganda by allocating paper and digital formats to publish books that glorify revolutionary achievements, even as basic necessities like food and newspaper supplies are scarce.