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The press chief of the ruling Miguel Díaz-Canel, Leticia Martínez Hernández, once again demonstrated her ideological affiliation with the Cuban regime and her nostalgia for the times of the "socialist camp."
Following the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska last Friday, the head of communication at the Palace shared on social media an image of Russian Foreign Minister Serguéi Lavrov wearing a shirt with the Soviet acronym "СССР" (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR).
The post, accompanied by a look of admiration emoji, far from being an insignificant anecdote, highlighted a troubling narrative: the normalization of symbols associated with totalitarianism and repression as if they were badges of pride.
The image of Lavrov with explicit references to the now-defunct Soviet Union is not a casual act. It occurs amid the strengthening of strategic ties between Moscow and Havana, which have intensified since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, one of the former Soviet republics until it became independent on August 24, 1991.
"Russia and Cuba are on the right side of history," the chancellor wrote at the beginning of May while addressing the cooperation between Moscow and Havana. "I am pleased to note that, despite the geographical distance, our countries are united by the close bonds of brotherhood proven by the experience of many years of cooperation in the spirit of strategic partnership."
The Cuban regime has avoided condemning that aggression in international forums and, on more than one occasion, has explicitly supported the Kremlin's position, even blaming the West for the tensions. For Martínez Hernández, the gesture from Putin's chancellor deserves applause, sharing the same imperialist and revanchist enthusiasm as the nostalgic supporters of Moscow.
Lavrov, who has visited Havana multiple times since the beginning of the war, expressed his gratitude to the Cuban regime for its refusal to join the sanctions against Russia. However, beyond the diplomatic aspect, the enthusiasm of Díaz-Canel's press chief drove her to add a heart emoji to the diplomatic gesture of her admired Serguéi.
The use of Soviet symbolism in Alaska—a territory historically disputed by Moscow and the United States—conveys a clear message: Russia does not forget its imperial ambitions or its narrative of power, which is now shared by its staunchest allies, such as the Cuban regime, which has facilitated the emergence of human trafficking networks that
Martínez Hernández is not just a government spokesperson. As the head of communications for the Cuban leader, she has taken on a role of propaganda that goes beyond institutional protocol.
Her publication history includes attacks on those protesting against the government —whom she has labeled as "selfish and insensitive"— and justifications for controversial decisions made by the government, such as coming to the defense of the ostentation of the Habanos Festival amid widespread misery.
These attitudes have earned her strong public criticism, even from former members of the Cuban State Security.
The use of a t-shirt featuring the Soviet logo—celebrated by a key figure in presidential communication—cannot be interpreted merely as an exercise in nostalgia. Rather, it represents a reaffirmation of the authoritarian, centralized, and repressive model that has characterized both the USSR and the current Cuban political system for decades. A model that, far from providing solutions to existing problems, perpetuates dependency, backwardness, and the repression of freedoms.
Moreover, the symbolic support for Russia in this context also amounts to a dangerous geopolitical stance. At a time when Moscow is waging a war of aggression that has been widely condemned by the international community, Cuba aligns itself not only politically but also morally with a regime that violates sovereignties, persecutes opponents, and restricts fundamental rights.
Celebrating the symbols of an oppressive past while silencing the massacres in Ukraine says a lot about the Cuban government's true commitment to justice, peace, and self-determination.
The exaltation of Soviet symbolism by its communication apparatus is not merely an ideological echo, but a warning: the future they uphold is the same as always. One where repression is the norm, dissent is punished, and propaganda is the official voice.
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