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The image of Miguel Díaz-Canel in olive green uniform continues to stir controversy. The publication in CiberCuba of the article “Why Does Díaz-Canel Wear Military Uniform in His Latest Public Appearances?” triggered an outburst of mockery, criticism, and expressions of outrage with over 1,500 comments in just a few hours.
The debate, which started on the Facebook page of CiberCuba Noticias, became a true barometer of popular sentiment —and frustration. Amid jokes, insults, and political reflections, Cubans painted a fierce portrait of the ruler: a puppet trying to invoke respect by dressing as a soldier, but only managing to evoke mockery.
"Battle of Palo Cagao": Mockery as Release
The most celebrated chain of comments was born out of irony. A user wrote that the appointed ruler "earned that suit in the Battle of Palo Cagao, on the Hill of Peo alongside his friend Pendejón González".
The phrase sparked a wave of laughter and dozens of responses in the same vein: "Fought on the Loma del Esperón"; "Corporal Pendejón and the Russian advisor Kagalovich"; "The uniform was awarded for distinguished service in the war against mosquitoes".
In a matter of minutes, the thread turned into a festival of popular humor where sarcasm replaced indignation. For many, laughing at the appointed ruler is a form of symbolic resistance. "I laughed until I cried," confessed a woman. Another added: "Only humor saves us from this reality."
Between fear and mockery: "The combat order has been given."
Other users interpreted the uniform as a gesture of threat. "Because the combat order has been given", wrote someone, to which another replied: "Combat against whom, against their own people?".
The idea was repeated dozens of times: “He is at war with his conscience”, “He is preparing for the next crackdown like on July 11”, “He uses green to intimidate, but not even dressed in military attire does he scare away mosquitoes”.
That combination of mockery and fear reflects the dominant feeling: distrust. “I don’t know if they are planning something, but it’s clear they are up to something”, commented an internet user. “It seems they want to keep the country in a permanent ‘defense mode’”.
Criticism of the "improper use" of the uniform
A group of commentators took on a more technical tone and noted that the suit worn by Díaz-Canel "does not match" his training.
"It's a lack of respect, that uniform is ceremonial and can only be worn by trained military personnel", one wrote. Another added: "He neither went to the Sierra nor completed military service. It's an usurpation of duties."
Although some regime supporters responded that the president “has the right to wear it” as the head of the National Defense Council, most rejected that explanation. “The uniform doesn’t make him a commander, just as the guayabera didn’t make him civilized”, a woman joked. “The habit doesn’t make the monk, and the green doesn’t grant authority”.
"Dummy," "clown," "disguised": The language of exasperation
A superficial reading of the comments might reduce the phenomenon to a flood of jokes. However, a deeper analysis reveals a more complex emotional pattern: contempt, distrust, and political fatigue.
The most repeated words are "clown," "puppet," "ridiculous," "disguised." For many, the uniform symbolizes an empty display of power: "That's how the puppets are, they need the costume to feel big", wrote a user.
Another summarized it in improvised verse: “This is how they are and pretend to be puppets / lacking in courage and gallantry; / they present themselves in military attire / to feign respect and lost authority”.
A third commentator noted: “That suit doesn't command respect, it inspires pity. It only shows his fear.”
"To hide the belly" or "because there is no clean clothes": Everyday humor
The popular wit also turned the debate into a parade of domestic quips. “He wears it because he doesn’t have water to wash” “La Machi doesn’t wash his clothes” “With the blackouts, he doesn’t have time to iron the guayaberas” “It’s a bit small for him, but it hides the belly” “The green holds up the dust”.
Among the most shared comments, one sarcastically remarked: “He is at war with mosquitoes, power outages, and inflation. He certainly has experience in that.” Another added: “It’s the campaign against Aedes aegypti.”
That current of domestic humor, far from being trivial, illustrates how Cubans channel their daily frustration: by translating scarcity and disenchantment into jokes that border on the absurd.
Those who defend it
Among thousands of critical comments, there were also voices that justified the presidential decision.
“The National Defense Council is activated,” several explained. “As the head of the CDN, you must wear that uniform while the hurricane recovery phase lasts,” others appealed to the hierarchical argument: “The president is the Commander-in-Chief and can dress as he pleases.”
However, those defenders were in the minority and, in most cases, ended up caught in ironic retorts. "Yes, but the emergency is in their credibility", someone responded. "They are not at war with a cyclone, but with the people".
"Fidel is believed": The shadow of the past
One of the most recurring lines in the reactions is the comparison with Fidel Castro. “He thinks he's Fidel but doesn't even come close”; “He imitates the deceased to seem alive”; “He is filming his own version of the revolution”.
Several users interpreted the gesture as a desperate attempt to appropriate the symbols of historical power: "It's psychological manipulation, a way to present himself as Fidel's heir to his followers." One wrote. Another added: "He does it so that the supporters associate him with the Commander and continue to obey."
A thermometer of the country
Beyond the joke and the outrage, the torrent of comments reflects the emotional and political fatigue of the official narrative.
The figure of Díaz-Canel, far from generating respect, evokes sarcasm; his appeal to military authority is interpreted as a sign of weakness; his attempt to project strength is seen as fear.
A reader summed it up precisely: “That man is at war, yes, but not with the United States or with mosquitoes. He is at war with his conscience.”
The phrase, replicated dozens of times, became the popular synthesis of a shared perception: the olive green uniform no longer evokes epicness or authority, but rather a disguise of power in an exhausted country.
Between green and gray
Cuban social media once again served as a space for catharsis. Where official media remain silent, popular humor speaks. The reactions to Díaz-Canel's military attire are not just a collective meme: they mirror the national mood.
In that mirror, the olive green no longer shines as a symbol of “revolution,” but is instead tinged with gray, the color of fatigue.
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