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While eastern Cuba attempts to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz continues his tour of the Middle East and arrived in Qatar this Saturday after spending several days in Saudi Arabia, which the regime presents as an "intense bilateral agenda."
The contrast is striking. While thousands of Cuban families have lost nearly everything to the flood, the head of government shares optimistic photos and messages about meetings and international alliances from afar.
In his account on X, Marrero announced that he traveled to Qatar to participate in the Second Global Summit on Social Development, where, as he stated, he will hold meetings to “raise economic and trade ties to the same level as political ones.”
His arrival was highlighted by official media such as Radio Rebelde, which emphasized the “cordial” welcome from the Qatari authorities and the “esteem” for the Cuban people.
The state-run broadcaster also reported that Marrero will attend the first meeting of leaders of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, an initiative of the United Nations.
However, the image of a smiling prime minister surrounded by sheikhs and foreign ministers contrasts sharply with the reality of a country that, for days, has been grappling with the aftermath of a natural disaster that has left communities isolated, homes destroyed, and incalculable material losses.
During his stay in Saudi Arabia, marking the first visit by a Cuban head of government to that country, Marrero signed three agreements concerning investment, tourism, and aviation, which he stated “mark a milestone” in bilateral relations. This occurred while Hurricane Melissa was strengthening and heading towards the island, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people in eastern Cuba.
The absence of Marrero during the cyclone's passage has sparked criticism and questions both within and outside the country. For many Cubans, his trip contrasts sharply with the role that top leaders should assume in times of national emergency.
On social media, the Prime Minister has tried to maintain a presence "from a distance." In recent hours, he shared messages of support for the forces of the Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), praising their work in rescuing those affected.
"Your dedication, turned into a custom, fills us with pride. I embrace you," she wrote alongside photos of soldiers carrying children and brigades in the mud.
Marrero himself stated that he is "closely monitoring" the situation on the island and that "the leadership of the Party and the Government are defining priorities for recovery." However, the gap between rhetoric and reality seems to widen with each publication.
In a country where leaders have grown accustomed to praising the sacrifices of the people from the comfort of an official trip, the image of the Cuban prime minister traversing the palaces of the Gulf while his nation is flooded encapsulates, for many, the true state of politics on the island, with a power that looks outward while its people are drowning.
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