The Cuban regime is preparing to commemorate the centenary of the birth of the dictator Fidel Castro, who was born on August 13, 1926, in Birán, Holguín, and passed away on November 25, 2016, in Havana at the age of 90.
In this context, the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) convened its Tenth Plenary Session for July 4 and 5, where discussions will take place on various topics, including the commemorative program for the centenary of the dictator, as published by Granma, the official organ of the single party.
Although Castro expressed during his lifetime his wish that no monuments be erected in his honor, the regime has turned his figure into an object of worship, dedicating an expensive museum to him in the capital, inaugurated in November 2021 in a lavish mansion in Vedado.
The center has been criticized for its focus on child indoctrination. Since July 2024, children aged 6 to 14 have been participating in museum workshops, where they act as museum guides, repeating official speeches about Castro.
These activities, presented as educational, have been marked by their propagandistic nature and their intention to perpetuate Castroist ideology among new generations.
The commemoration of Fidel Castro's centenary, therefore, presents an opportunity for the regime to reinforce its historical narrative and consolidate its ideological control, especially among the youth.
Meanwhile, the Cuban population continues to face significant economic and social challenges, in a context where the glorification of the past seems to take precedence over the needs of the present.
A country in ruins at the threshold of a centenary
A year after the anniversary, Cuba is experiencing one of its worst crises in decades. The population endures daily blackouts lasting up to 20 hours, shortages are widespread, and prices—which are effectively dollarized—are soaring while salaries in pesos remain stagnant.
Inequality has worsened, poverty is spreading, and public services such as healthcare, education, and transportation are in clear decline.
At the same time, popular protests are increasing, and the regime responds with greater repression, censorship, and persecution of dissent. The economic model remains trapped in the statism, centralization, and obsolescence left behind by Castro, with no willingness to implement real reforms.
The inevitable question is: how will the government celebrate the centenary? Will it have overcome the crisis? All signs point to no.
The causes of the problems are structural and require a volume of investment, reforms, and openness that Díaz-Canel's government is not willing to undertake.
Without the political will to break away from the totalitarian and communist legacy of Castroism, continuity appears more as a burden than as a solution.
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