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The Cuban regime announced the results of a study conducted by the Center for Sociopolitical Studies and Public Opinion (CESPO), which claims that the majority of Cubans support the so-called "revolution" and its leaders.
The conclusions were presented during the debate on the accountability report of the Political Bureau at the IX Plenary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) by its secretary, Roberto Morales Ojeda.
According to the report, the population maintains a sense of national pride and sees dictator Fidel Castro and General Raúl Castro as reference points, despite the fact that the socio-political project built by both over more than 60 years—through violent and exclusionary domination—has condemned the nation to a multitude of material and spiritual shortcomings, as well as economic difficulties that burden its citizens.
According to the PCC's press office, the study emphasized that, despite dissatisfaction with high prices, transportation issues, food shortages, and housing problems, the population largely remains supportive of the regime's policies.
This supposed majority support stands in stark contrast to the results of a survey conducted in mid-October by CiberCuba on the Telegram platform, aimed at gauging the opinions of Cubans regarding the governance of Miguel Díaz-Canel. The results were devastating, with 95% of Cubans disapproving of his mandate and 77% considering his performance to be "as bad as it could possibly be."
The official narrative contrasts sharply with the reality of the systemic crisis facing Cuba, which is the result of disastrous economic policies implemented by Díaz-Canel’s government and its "continuity" of a totalitarian system that represses dissent, freedom of expression, and the right to genuine political participation, characteristic of democratic systems.
Driven to the brink by the incompetence and blatant disregard of the regime's leaders for the citizens, Cuban society today suffers the consequences of inflation, impoverishment, widespread shortages, inequality, injustice, and the deterioration of public services. At the same time, it is common knowledge that a mafia elite has enriched itself through corruption and has effectively taken control of the State.
Once again, the PCC and its entity for "socio-political studies and opinion" are using state-controlled media (the only legal outlets in the country) to disseminate their outdated propagandistic rhetoric and maintain indoctrination over the population, pretending that the so-called "revolution" and its current leadership hold the legitimacy conferred by the support of "the masses."
The study methodology: A tool for ideological control
Currently directed by Rosario del Pilar Pentón Díaz, CESPO was established in September 1967 as a tool of the Communist Party to gather public opinions and has been collecting data for decades under a methodological framework designed to strengthen the regime's ideological control.
In theory, the study is based on questionnaires and group interviews aimed at measuring variables such as mood, perceptions of the political system, and future expectations. However, the results seem designed to reinforce the official narrative rather than reflect the genuine concerns of the citizens.
The methodological proposal suggests a "scientific" analysis of the sociopolitical climate, but it is aimed at ensuring that the results serve as a tool for political guidance. This is reflected in the report's conclusions, which emphasize the "majority adherence" to the socialist system despite the evident economic and social tensions affecting the country.
A portrait of propaganda in a context of crisis
The announcement of the study comes at a time marked by a severe economic and social crisis. Uncontrolled inflation, the collapse of basic services, and massive emigration have eroded trust in the regime's institutions.
However, the CESPO uses the study's results to validate the political model and justify the policies of the Díaz-Canel government, arguing that the difficulties are a result of "enemy propaganda" rather than structural failures within the system.
Furthermore, the report emphasizes the role of ideology in consolidating power. In 2017, the then scientific deputy director of CESPO, Marcela González Pérez, acknowledged to Trabajadores that this research is crucial for "strengthening ties with the Party and the youth," reflecting the use of sociological studies as a mechanism to perpetuate ideological hegemony.
A reality that contradicts the results
In contrast to the conclusions of the study, the daily reality for Cubans is characterized by precariousness. Long lines to obtain food, frequent blackouts, and a shortage of medications have created an atmosphere of frustration and hopelessness.
Massive emigration, with record numbers in recent years, is another indicator of the population's discontent, which seeks to escape a system that fails to guarantee opportunities or quality of life.
Therefore, the study presented by CESPO is viewed more as a propaganda tool than as an objective analysis of the country's sociopolitical reality. While the regime insists that the supposed "revolution" has the support of the majority, the evidence points to a disconnect between the official narrative and the daily experiences of the citizens.
The CESPO report on the sociopolitical climate in Cuba highlights how the regime employs sociological research as a tool to perpetuate ideological control.
Although it presents a picture of majority support for the regime, its conclusions are clearly intended to justify the legitimacy of the political system in the midst of an unprecedented crisis.
The disconnect between the official discourse and the reality experienced by Cubans highlights the limitations of a model that prioritizes propaganda over concrete solutions to the problems facing the country.
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