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As Cuba faces an unprecedented crisis and the pain of recent tragedies, the regime in Havana continues to bet on the ideological militarization of the youth.
This week, the Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) launched the National Bastion of the Federation of Middle School Students (FEEM), an event that aims to instill in adolescents the doctrine of the "Total War of the People," in an effort to maintain ideological control over new generations.
From March 11 to 15, Sancti Spíritus will be the national headquarters for this program, where thousands of students will "learn about the missions of the FAR and the functioning of military units," as announced by the military institution itself.
The event is centered at the Eusebio Olivera Vocational Pre-University Institute of Exact Sciences and will extend to another 47 educational centers in the province.
The official discourse, echoed by the state media and student leadership, emphasizes the "preparation for the defense of the homeland" and the necessity of training young people in their commitment to the Revolution.
indoctrination and manipulation of fear
The Bastion is not an isolated incident. It is part of a systematic strategy by the Cuban regime to maintain a narrative of constant siege by "external enemies" and justify internal repression.
In recent months, similar events have proliferated, such as the shooting practices at the University of Computer Science (UCI), where students were taken to military exercises with assault rifles.
These types of initiatives not only aim to instill loyalty to the system but also to divert attention from the real problems facing the country. In a context of economic crisis, food shortages, and growing social discontent, the regime prioritizes political-military training instead of addressing the most urgent issues affecting the population.
Cynicism after the tragedy
The start of the Bastion is particularly insensitive considering that just three months ago a blast at a FAR warehouse in Holguín claimed the lives of several young recruits, an event that the government has kept in the dark, trying to downplay it.
Instead of reviewing the security of its military facilities or preventing the use of minors in these scenarios, the regime insists on bolstering its propaganda machine with adolescents still in school. According to reports that were later removed from official websites, the Melones tragedy occurred while the young recruits were "classifying aged munitions".
The official tweet from MINFAR announcing the student Bastion proudly is yet another example of the Cuban government's insensitivity to the suffering of its people. While the families of the deceased youths are still waiting for answers and justice, the State is celebrating military exercises with teenagers as if it were a game.
The Student Bastion initiative is nothing more than another mechanism of the regime to perpetuate its dominance over future generations, indoctrinating them in a warlike narrative and unconditional loyalty.
Instead of preparing young people for a future of progress, the "continuity" government of Miguel Díaz-Canel continues to train them to defend a system that increasingly relies on fear and propaganda.
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