Cubans do not know Manuel Anido Cuesta, the son of Lis Cuesta Peraza and "advisor" to his stepfather Miguel Díaz-Canel, who has recently been "caught" in Madrid romancing Cuban actress Ana de Armas.
Those who have access to the independent Cuban press will be aware of its existence from the occasions when it has made news through its fleeting appearances in the government delegations accompanying Díaz-Canel on his international tours.
It is known that he has been to the Vatican and was introduced to the Pope as "the family's opponent." It is also known that he was in the United Arab Emirates "advising" his stepfather. He holds a law degree from the University of Havana and enjoys displaying luxurious accessories, such as the $1,385 Montblanc briefcase he carried while in the Middle East.
But nobody in Cuba has ever heard of this so-called “official” of the Cuban regime, whose apparent “role” seems so significant that it justifies the public spending required for his travels around the world and his luxurious lifestyle.
What field does Anido Cuesta advise his stepfather in? Is he an expert in the energy sector? In economics, international trade, agriculture, or industry? Is he Díaz-Canel's image consultant, his chief of protocol, or an expert in international relations? Is he affiliated with the regime's diplomatic service, or does he receive his salary from the Council of State?
Is Anido Cuesta the "grey eminence" of the Palace? Or has his legal title opened the doors for him to "advise" Díaz-Canel on repressive matters? Is Cuesta Peraza's son responsible for the more than a thousand political prisoners under the regime, the one who decides when to tighten the screws or pull back? Or is he the strategist and architect of the so-called "fraudulent change"? Will he manage the social networks of his mother or his stepfather?
Cubans pay him as an "advisor" and public employee, but they have no idea what he advises on or what merits he possesses—aside from being part of the "royal family"—to hold that position and handle certain confidential responsibilities.
What was Anido Cuesta's thesis topic at university, and what postgraduate studies did he pursue? What articles, research, or policy papers has he published? Besides being the "golden child" of his mother, what other academic or professional references does Díaz-Canel's "advisor" have?
Aside from Ana de Armas, Cubans are unaware of how this young man thinks or expresses himself. What are his ideas? He is not known to have made any public interventions, appearances in the National Assembly of People's Power, Mesa Redonda, or other forums and media affiliated with the regime. Anido Cuesta remains a mystery.
But by searching, something is always found. And behold, a certain Manuel Anido Cuesta has poked his nose into the official press of the dictatorship.
Some comments published under his name in December 2014 appeared on Cubadebate when this portal released General Raúl Castro's speech titled "The Five Are Now in Cuba." It had been less than a year since the brother of the unspeakable dictator appointed the leader of the "continuity" with a historic "finger pointing": the stepfather of the creature.
Fueled by the euphoria surrounding the return of the five spies detained by the United States, who helped the Cuban regime orchestrate one of its largest propaganda campaigns in history, a certain Anido Cuesta published comments that constitute—up to this date—the purportedly only public words ever spoken by the son of the "not first lady."
"The Five heroes return to the homeland and the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the U.S. is the first step toward ending the economic blockade. A great year. After more than 50 years of struggle, victory is ours. We have proven to be unyielding... Glory covers our people and the giants who are Fidel and Raúl! The courage and steadfastness of Cubans reverberate once again around the world. Long live Cuba and the Revolution!"
Beautiful speech, isn’t it? Original, with an impressive richness of language, filled with unique and innovative ideas, showcasing depth of analysis and forward-thinking ability. But there’s more, because a victory that wins minds but not hearts is incomplete.
"The joy and brotherhood are felt among Cubans... How great this people is, how great this Revolution is!" said someone who signed as Manuel Anido Cuesta back in 2019, when that name was still less known than it is today, as he strolls with a star and a dog through the streets of Madrid at night, while his "advised" one plunges the country into ungovernability, turning it into a failed state, collapsed and inhabited by a formless mass, devoid of rights and freedoms, and subjected to a criminal elite that robs and sells the country at bargain prices.
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