A professor from Matanzas, Cuba, has publicly criticized the regime for disbanding the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA) without seeking input from those who work in the sector, who are reportedly opposed to the decision.
Luis Ernesto Martínez González, a graduate of Juan Marinello Higher Pedagogical Institute and resident of Matanzas, took to Facebook on Wednesday to directly challenge the government's decision to dissolve CITMA, a move sanctioned by the National Assembly last Thursday.
"For the Science Law, they asked us several times. To eliminate CITMA, not a single written question," Martínez wrote, further emphasizing his point with silence emojis to highlight the censorship involved.
According to his Facebook profile, Martínez González is also employed by CITMA in his province. He went on to suggest that the exclusion from consultations was intentional: "The only assessment done to consider CITMA's elimination showed our disagreement. That's why we weren't consulted."
The professor placed the ministry's dissolution within a broader trend of government decisions being made without input from those impacted over more than a decade.
Historical Decisions Without Consultation
In 2014, Martínez recounted being told that "the best" option was to merge pedagogical universities into the Ministry of Higher Education to create a "new university." "They didn't ask for my opinion. Not mine, nor many others'," he said. In 2022, he was forced to leave the Pedagogical University building and move to the central campus of the University of Matanzas under the same pretense, again without consultation. Now, in 2026, the story repeats with CITMA.
"I only have one thing to say: No, thank you," the professor concluded.
Speedy Disbandment vs. Slow Progress
Martínez González also highlighted the regime's rapid execution of dismantlements compared to the sluggishness in creating new opportunities: "On May 8, less than three months ago, we were informed CITMA would be dismantled as a ministry. Its death certificate is already signed. Destructive measures are swift and urgent. New initiatives are morbidly delayed without justification."
As additional context, the professor mentioned that President Miguel Díaz-Canel had celebrated CITMA's 30th anniversary in April 2024, citing its founding during the Special Period as an initiative by the "Commander in Chief." Yet, two years later, the organization was abolished without consulting its employees.
Widespread Discontent Among Scientists
Martínez González's voice is not isolated. Dr. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service, called the decision a "grave error" and "a sad day for Cuban science," lamenting that "many CITMA workers are pained by this decision made without consultation, as if we were mere game pieces."
Arango further noted that "the vast majority of our organization's workers are unaware that CITMA is being dissolved" and stated he had submitted his concerns to the National Assembly without receiving a response.
The National Assembly passed the Law on the Organization of the Central State Administration on Thursday, reducing central government bodies from 27 to 21 and redistributing CITMA's functions across two new ministries: the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, and the Ministry of Environment, Habitat, and Water Resources.
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz also announced the elimination of over 92,000 positions across four ministries as part of the restructuring, while the Secretary of the Council of Ministers described the reform as a process of "reordering, resizing, and perfecting" the state apparatus.
Martínez González's post resonated widely on social media. One user summarized the sentiment: "The Cuban chainsaw has cut down CITMA. Another blackout, this time of science." Another pointed out the core issue: "For power, the enemy, past, present, and future, is critical thinking, reason, and science." A third voice highlighted the futility of consultations in the Cuban system: "Consult you for what? There's an Assembly that will vote unanimously."
The ministries have up to a year to complete the organizational changes following the official publication of the law, as stipulated by the newly approved regulation.
Understanding CITMA's Dissolution
What was the reason for dismantling CITMA?
The government claims the restructuring, including CITMA's dissolution, was part of efforts to "reorder, resize, and perfect" the state apparatus. However, many believe it was done without proper consultation and against the interests of scientific progress.
How will CITMA's responsibilities be managed?
CITMA's functions will be divided between two new ministries: the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, and the Ministry of Environment, Habitat, and Water Resources.
How have scientists in Cuba reacted to CITMA's closure?
Many scientists and workers have expressed outrage, describing the decision as a grave error and lamenting the lack of consultation. They fear it represents a setback for Cuban science.