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The Cuban regime once again boasted about the effectiveness of its disaster evacuation system, although the official speech itself revealed that over 95% of the people sheltered during Hurricane Melissa were housed in the homes of family members or neighbors, rather than in state facilities.
According to the official newspaper Granma, Roberto Morales Ojeda, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, emphasized the “unity, understanding, and solidarity” shown by the population during the emergency, and assured that this response demonstrates “what human life means to us.”
In his intervention on the television program Mesa Redonda, Morales Ojeda implicitly acknowledged the State's inability to provide institutional shelter by admitting that the vast majority of those evacuated had to seek refuge in private homes.
The data contrasts with the regime's propaganda, which has presented its civil defense system for decades as a model of efficiency and preparedness in the face of meteorological events.
During his speech, the leader urged the need to maintain "systematic" information through local media, radio, and television, as long as the electrical situation allows.
He also called for a "popular oversight" to supervise the resources allocated for recovery, stating that the people must act "vigilant and active" to prevent misappropriations or mismanagement.
While the government tries to project a message of order and solidarity, the reality revealed by its own figures shows that the response to Hurricane Melissa primarily relied on assistance among Cubans, not on a solid state system.
On an island with deteriorated housing and limited shelters, the "success" of the evacuation was, in reality, a reflection of the institutional precariousness that the government refuses to acknowledge.
The leader also assured that, after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, “the people of Cuba, the provinces that have been affected recognize the overall work that has been done.”
The head of the Political Ideological Work Body stated that "we have been monitoring all the networks and the people's opinion system," and he noted that "this also speaks to the effectiveness with which we have been fulfilling what is outlined in our plans."
He added that "the opinion of the people and the interpretation of what can be seen on social media is also a reflection of the trust in the Party, in the Government, and in each of its institutions."
The statements by Morales Ojeda came after the ruling Miguel Díaz-Canel stated on his X account that “the measures have been effective” and that the country is “ready for recovery,” following the “significant damages” caused by Hurricane Melissa in the eastern region.
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