The head of the U.S. mission in Cuba Mike Hammer continues to test the patience of the Cuban regime, which has now accused him of lying about the failure of the "revolution."
The regime's propaganda machinery has reacted to Hammer's press conference this Friday in Miami before U.S. media with an article by Johana Tablada, deputy director of the United States Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX).
The official has accused Hammer of lying in his statements regarding the failure of the revolution due to a lack of "electricity, fuel, food, and medicine" without any involvement from "U.S. policies."
“False!!!: The unilateral coercive measures imposed by the U.S. against Cuba —known as the blockade— have a direct and severe impact on access to financing, technology, supplies, and medicines, and are even recognized by the UN as the main obstacle to Cuban development,” reads the text published in Cubadebate.
As is usual in the regime's discourse, Tablada has not assumed any responsibility for the ongoing crisis on the island and has dismissed the diplomat's statements as false.
"While it is true that there is an economic crisis, blaming solely the Cuban government is a simplification that overlooks the multidimensional economic, financial, and trade war imposed from Washington for over six decades," he added.
He also labeled Hammer as an interventionist for his recent visits to the island to understand the reality of the everyday Cuban and to meet with opposition figures and civil society actors.
The official has also maintained this point in line with the regime's rhetoric, referring to the families of political prisoners as “figures directly or indirectly funded by the U.S. as victims of the ‘regime,’ while concealing that they have openly called for subversion, sabotage, or violent acts.”
The rest of Tablada's article has been a copy of the usual discursive maneuvering of the Cuban regime, blaming the U.S. government for the structural crisis the island is suffering while denying the existence of the opposition and civil society.
For Tablada, Hammer's press conference aimed, among other points, to "establish a narrative of a failed state regarding Cuba, legitimize diplomatic interference as solidarity, whitewash U.S. sanctions, and absolve responsibility for the blockade."
Hammer: "The revolution has failed."
Last Friday, Hammer stated in Miami that citizen discontent on the Island is widespread and that “the vast majority” of Cubans believe that “the Revolution has failed.”
Hammer, who has visited all the provinces of the country since his appointment, described a bleak outlook during a press conference before U.S. media following his tours of the island, where he has met with representatives of civil society and activists.
"There is no electricity; as you can see, there are power outages; there is a shortage of fuel, food, and medications. People recognize that those responsible are the Cuban regime. It has nothing to do with any policy from the United States," he pointed out.
The diplomat emphasized that his mission has been to hear firsthand from the Cuban people, including sectors traditionally linked to the state apparatus, and that despite the surveillance imposed on him, he is determined to continue with these visits.
"I have been traveling across the country and asking if there is interest in having ordinary Cubans meet with us to share their concerns, their experiences, their dreams… even their criticisms of the United States government," he stated.
In his statements, Hammer emphasized that the current U.S. administration plans to intensify its stance toward the regime. "The sanctions announced this Wednesday are a beginning, not an end. More will come, I can assure you of that," he warned, referring to the recent measures against Cuban officials linked to human rights violations.
Reaction to diplomatic activism
The article by Tablada adds to a recent intensification of attacks on the American diplomat through regime-affiliated channels and social media posts, where he is accused of acting as an "imperial emissary," violating diplomatic protocols, and promoting an alleged "hybrid warfare" strategy against Cuba.
Since his arrival in Havana in November 2024, Mike Hammer has maintained an active agenda of meetings with civil society actors, which has caused noticeable discomfort within the state apparatus. In recent months, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned U.S. diplomats on three occasions to express its “strong protest” against what it considers acts of “interference.”
At the same time, the Cuban government has used incendiary speeches and unverified data to reinforce the narrative that the U.S. is funding opponents with destabilizing intentions, citing organizations such as the NED (National Endowment for Democracy) or USAID as sources of foreign financing for figures like Soler or Ferrer, the latter of whom is once again unjustly imprisoned.
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