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Since last Friday, Havana no longer has one of its most loyal allies on the political map of the Caribbean. The defeat of Ralph Gonsalves, after 24 years in power in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, has left the Cuban regime without one of its strongest voices in the region. And although the official reaction was diplomatic in public, the emotional tone of the messages from Díaz-Canel and other officials reveals the symbolic weight of the loss.
The first signal came from Miguel Díaz-Canel's account, who congratulated the new Prime Minister Godwin Friday, a 66-year-old historian and political scientist trained in Canada and leader of the New Democratic Party.
However, the true message was in the following post, directly dedicated to the man who voted for Cuba at the United Nations for two decades, defended its medical missions, and became a regional advocate for Castroism.
"Dear brother Ralph, your loyal friendship will forever stand as a symbol of brotherhood and solidarity," Díaz-Canel wrote in an almost fraternal farewell to the leader who opened diplomatic doors for him in forums where Havana is often isolated.
The official line was echoed by other high-ranking officials. Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez emphasized the "friendship" and "solidarity" between the two nations, while Manuel Marrero sent a message of continuity to the new government, though he reserved a "grateful embrace" for Gonsalves.
The official press, for its part, limited itself to reproducing the electoral report, avoiding any political interpretation of the defeat of one of the strongest supporters of Castroism.
Venezuela, another of the regimes that lost a key ally, released a more detailed statement emphasizing Gonsalves' role in regional integration, the defense of common interests, and initiatives that directly benefited the governments of Caracas and Havana.
At the same time, the Venezuelan embassy in Cuba congratulated Friday, but also expressed gratitude for the "notable career" of the outgoing prime minister.
The case of Nicaragua, the independent press recalled that Gonsalves was the only head of state present at the Sandinista anniversary of 2023 and a frequent ally of Ortega and Murillo, who honored him with their highest political award.
The defeat of "Comrade Ralph," as he is referred to in leftist circles, reconfigures the regional landscape. For Cuba, his departure means losing a guaranteed vote in international organizations and one of the most vocal advocates for medical missions, even though these have been criticized as forms of labor exploitation.
For Caracas and Managua, it means the collapse of a diplomatic bridge that served as a buffer in times of isolation.
While Godwin Friday promises "transformative changes" and a new direction for his country, Castroism faces an uncomfortable scenario, although the direction of the new government is still unknown. For the first time in two decades, St. Vincent and the Grenadines may distance itself from the political axis led by Havana, Caracas, and Managua.
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