HAVANA, Cuba – The darkness of 5:30 a.m. and the distant, static population surrounded the unusual 26-minute speech given by President Donald Trump. Salvador Valdes MesaVice President of the Republic, at the central event for the 71st anniversary of the attack on the Moncada barracks.
These events often featured speeches by Fidel or Raúl Castro from brightly lit stands. Miguel Diaz-Canel He did not speak. The so-called “continuity” generation, which is causing the sustained decline and impoverishment of all productive and social sectors, refuses to acknowledge the failure of the measures applied since its rise to power in 2018, and to change the system.
Raul Castro He flanked his successor president, without the usual cheerful greetings. In contrast, he emphasized the proximity to Ramiro Valdés, whose almost daily presence in tours of the power plants and other strategic objectives has been highlighted in the official media, even with the rerun of an interview about his revolutionary life, which contrasts with the usual reticence of the commander of the Revolution and organizer of the State Security to advertising.
Sancti Spíritus was the central venue for the event, supposedly because it is the province with the best economic and social results in the country. Meanwhile, all of Cuba is experiencing a debacle: the 2023-2024 sugar harvest, the longest in its history, only met the sugar plan at 76%, after being extended until the beginning of July. Among the problems faced were the lack of cane, labor force, spare parts, fuel and lubricants. The first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in Sancti Spiritus He highlighted the so-called achievements in a general way at the event.
However, in the conclusions of the fourth government visit to the province, led by the prime minister Manuel Marrero In June, Ramiro Valdés emphasized the slowness of the housing program, with 32% of the 438 planned homes completed. Deputy Prime Minister Jorge Luis Tapia Fonseca pointed out the lack of use of productive land in all communities, the need to ensure that a greater number of areas close to the towns comply with the self-sufficiency programs and sales in the small squares.
Vice President Inés María Chapman encouraged to solve everything that prevents water from reaching the citizens, and in Trinidad to use the income in foreign currency from tourism for programs that improve the territory. While the vice-premier Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella He urged to increase differentiated attention to the educational sector to improve teacher coverage.
The celebration, dedicated to one of the three key actions of the so-called Revolution, demonstrated the gloomy atmosphere prevailing in the country, the difficulties in the spontaneous mobilization of the population due to its apathy and the government’s fear of mass protests.
Among the peculiarities of this commemoration, the elevation of Valdés Mesa stands out, as well as the lack of effusiveness of Raúl Castro towards Díaz-Canel compared to his proximity to Ramiro Valdés, as well as the postponement of the broadcast of the event.
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