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Something important must have been missing from the "little bag" with which the Cuban regime rewards its loyal servants of the official press, as this week a controversy erupted among the spokespersons of the Palace that has stirred even the ashes of La Roca de Santa Ifigenia.
The main figures in this small yet indicative "break" from the regime have been none other than Michel Torres Corona, the host of the controversial program Con Filo—currently on hold on Cuban television—and Leticia Martínez Hernández, the press chief of the Palace and community manager for the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The catalyst for the controversy was a Facebook post regarding the celebration of the IX Plenary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC). The communicator, who was once a " scourge" of opponents, activists, and independent journalists, expressed an opinion that raised alarms in the Palace.
"A congress of the united -against zanjoneros, plattistas, and enthusiasts of liberal restoration- is what we need, where we can discuss openly and decide on a unified course for the Revolution. Enough of indecision and hesitation. It is time for a reckoning and a counteroffensive. The people want social justice and sovereignty; they want leaders, not mere managers, comrades, not lords. It will be too late later. A sense of the historical moment, a sense of urgency..." said Torres Corona.
Immediately, the red phone rang in the Ideological Department of the PCC, and the call from Counterintelligence was transferred to the Palace. In her office, the humble Martínez Hernández was filled with rage as she was briefed on the audacity of the panda bear, and she rushed to the networks to put the subordinate in his place, firmly against the wall.
"Deciding on a single course? Social justice? Sovereignty? Leaders? At what point did we lose all of that you cry out with a 'it's too late for later'?" questioned Díaz-Canel's press chief, upon seeing that the dissident was speaking on behalf of the 'people' and expressing the popular desire for 'leaders, not managers,' and worse yet: 'companions, not gentlemen.'"
With Díaz-Canel's advisor rumored to be romancing La Colmenita's Marilyn Monroe in Spain, shopping at El Corte Inglés while flaunting a luxury brand outfit, Lis Cuesta Peraza's son overnight turned his stepfather into a bourgeois figure, raising questions about his legitimacy in power from other lowly and proletarian critics.
"Leticia, I don't know if we've lost it, but I don't think we have a clear understanding. At least, I don’t see it clearly. That's why we need to discuss it and come to an agreement as soon as possible," Torres Corona hurriedly replied to the guardian of the official narratives.
Like any good plot, the controversy among official journalists has drawn in other voices and secondary figures such as Paquito de Cuba (Francisco Rodríguez Cruz), the "ciberclaria" Iramís Rosique, ACN journalist Ana Ivis Galán García, and Tamara María Ortiz Méndez, a professor at the Central University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas (UCLV) and a colleague of Leticia's mother, María del Carmen Hernández Carús, who is also a professor at UCLV.
"They should ask the people to see if it's true that these issues are not urgent. And yes, there is a loss of social justice. And yes, we no longer see a unified path. And yes, we no longer see the leaders we once knew and had the privilege to share with. There are truths that must be heard, painful yet necessary. What we are living today is a cruel reminder that history, both national and universal, is not just for studying but also for learning from it,” Galán García stated.
Sensing trouble, Torres Corona rushed to clarify some of the comments generated by his post. “I’m amazed at how clearly things are perceived from the presidential office. Parallel worlds,” said a user identified as Betty Pairol, whose profile mixes regime propaganda with "insights" about its current nature, highlighting the prevailing social injustice and inequality, as seen in the case of the "young revolutionary entrepreneur" Sandro Castro.
"Betty, I prefer that we don't turn this exchange into a gathering of accusations and confrontations. A lot of hard work is being done for Cuba in the presidential office, and I don't believe anyone claims to have an unattainable clarity. It's better and more prudent for all of us who consider ourselves revolutionaries to focus on solutions together, without engaging in fruitless divisions. What should we do? That's the question. And the answer must be a collective effort," Torres Corona replied in a calm tone.
Four bitter drinks later, Torres Corona found himself crying over his fate once again. "What can one do if those in the highest political responsibilities have everything 'so clear'?" he asked, his words interrupted by hiccups and resentment.
"My interpretation is: ‘if nothing has happened here,’ ‘everything is exactly the same,’ ‘and now what is this guy talking about?’ Political blindness or myopia weighs heavier when one is alienated, and it feels even worse when I have to endure it. You know what has been debated in this country regarding social inequality and how much the academic world has raised alarms, only for them to now come back with the little question: ‘Social Justice?’ It’s outrageous!” added the television sharpener.
But it wasn't all criticism directed at Leticia, as Paquito from Cuba is there for that; he is a close friend of the royal couple, a personal jester to the "not-so-first lady," and a skilled commentator in his moments of inspiration.
“When people start saying ‘We need to do this or that’ with an air not of guidance, but of a Marxist witch; or pretend to speak on behalf of the people, I disconnect the plug,” said the plugged-in journalist.
"Francisco, many women were burned as witches. I have no problem if I end up being part of that coven," replied the "Marxist witch" from Torres Corona. They then exchanged hugs and affection, but the daggers were already flying on social media.
Rosique also appeared, his gills dilated from lack of oxygen. "I wish all the comrades understood that defending a project in peril is far more important than defending a man, no matter how beloved he may be," he said, his voice barely audible as it escaped between his mustache.
Aiming at Díaz-Canel, Rosique plunged directly into the fray. "There's no need to exonerate, defend, judge, or blame anyone: what we need is to find a way out of this downward spiral, where neither the project, the people, nor the dead will survive!"
"What are the avenues for popular participation to defend the project that is in danger?" asked Rosique, the professor from Díaz-Canel's Alma Mater. "Does anyone remember what a workers' state is?" insisted Ortiz Méndez.
Meanwhile, the central figure in this controversy, the leader whom the people refer to as "puesto a deo" along with other colorful epithets, had no better idea to showcase his "continuist" leadership than to call for a March of the Combatant People... where we can surely expect to see Torres Corona, Leticia, Iramís, and Paquito from Cuba, all smiling and wearing their respective shirts with revolutionary slogans.
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