Castrist propaganda is growing in Cuba at the same rate as hunger and blackouts

In Cuba, communist propaganda has never been in short supply, but these days, on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of Fidel Castro's birth, the ideological apparatus has gone into overdrive. From the highest echelons of power to state institutions and social media profiles aligned with the regime, the message seems to be the same: to promote the idea that Fidel is not only still alive but also embodies the homeland itself.

The parade of publications reaches the point of absurdity: posters, songs, political acts, and activities that invite ridicule, photos of the house where Fidel was born in Birán as if it were the Mecca of tropical socialism, and even messages celebrating in advance the centenary of the dictator. All of this amidst endless blackouts, rampant inflation, empty markets, and an unstoppable exodus.

The equation is not new: the greater the crisis, the more propaganda. But this year the formula is more official: the authorities had already announced that the priority for 2025 would be to “reinforce political-ideological work”. And they are adhering to it strictly, with a bombardment of content aimed at glossing over reality with heroic speeches and revolutionary nostalgia.

Meanwhile, the country is sinking. Migration numbers are breaking records, the Cuban peso is plummeting, hunger and despair are growing, and power outages have once again become a part of everyday life. In this context, it is insulting that the State dedicates more resources and time to commemorate the birthday of a deceased person than to address the needs of the living.

But the cult of personality is not just a tool for political manipulation: it is also a mechanism of social control. Elevating Fidel Castro to the status of an eternal myth allows the regime to present itself as the legitimate heir to a "legacy" that, according to propaganda, still guides the nation's destiny. Questioning the leader, even posthumously, remains a sacrilege.

The problem is that the average Cubans no longer eat slogans nor do they pay with phrases from Díaz-Canel. No matter how many posts flood social media or how many speeches declare Birán as "the homeland," people know that the homeland is in the empty refrigerator, in the endless line, in the light that doesn't come, in the passport that dreams of exit stamps.

So yes, let them keep celebrating the 99… even the 100 in advance. The people, the same ones who are asked for blind faith and infinite endurance, are already too busy finding ways to survive another day in real Cuba, the one that doesn't appear on posters featuring Fidel's face.