Related videos:
The president Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez proposed this Thursday before the National Assembly of the People's Power that the year 2026 be officially declared as the "Year of the Centenary of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz", in tribute to the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution.
According to the official account of the Presidencia de Cuba on Facebook, Díaz-Canel stated that “every task we undertake in 2026, from the most complex economic transformations to the simplest gesture of solidarity, should embody the fidelista spirit of struggle, his deep love for the people, and his unwavering commitment to social justice.”
The proposal was approved by the National Assembly and replicated by the state portal Cubadebate, which noted that the appointment aims to "reinforce the unity of ideas in the Cuban Revolution."
Mockery, fatigue, and outrage: Social media erupts
The announcement sparked a flurry of comments on the pages of Presidencia de Cuba and Cubadebate, where thousands of users expressed their frustration over the country's crisis. Among the responses, one person wrote: “Now the year is truly ruined; it will be the year of the eternal blackout.” Another commented: “They should call it the 100th anniversary of the birth and the 67th of Cuba's misfortune,” while someone else quipped: “If in '53 they were inspired by the centenary of the Apostle to attempt to overthrow a regime, this other centenary should ideally inspire something similar.”
Other messages referred to the general discontent with phrases like “Now they really brought the bad luck,” “This will be the year of eating stone because we’ve already ingested the cable and the pole,” or “In the year of liberation, we Cubans proclaim long live Free Cuba.” Expressions of fatigue and distrust were also repeated: “When you think you’ve seen it all, they show up with this,” wrote one user, while another summed it up: “Well, with those names, the year is already messed up before it even begins.”
Some comments even recalled the law that prohibits the use of Fidel Castro's name in institutions or monuments: “There is a law approved in 2016 that regulates this wish of Fidel, but the use of his name to identify the year in Cuba is left to interpretation,” pointed out one of the internet users. Criticism of the economic context was also abundant: “We are going to celebrate with the dollar at three different exchange rates, one of which is 410. A great achievement of our revolution and our government, where an average worker doesn’t even earn 10 dollars,” wrote another participant.
Among the most sarcastic reactions were phrases like “These communists don’t know which dead horse to ride anymore,” “Now it really is going to be the last year of communism,” or “It’s a miracle they didn’t call it ‘Year of Rejuvenating the Economy, which has been rejuvenated so it doesn’t get un-rejuvenated.’” One user humorously summarized it: “Poor kids in schools, they’re going to waste half a page just to put that title on the date… good grief, it’s long in every sense.”
Although some messages were favorable, describing the decision as “a deserved tribute to the historic leader,” the majority expressed saturation, irony, and rejection towards what they consider yet another gesture of official propaganda disconnected from the reality of the country.
Contests, tributes, and books: the promotional lead-up to the centenary
The proclamation of the "Year of the Centenary of Fidel Castro" adds to other recent initiatives aimed at reviving the cult of the deceased leader. In November, Cubadebate launched a contest of décimas in his honor, inviting participation to "pay tribute to the man who understood and defended throughout his life culture as the soul of the nation." The publication sparked a wave of criticism. "Cuba is in total decay, the culture of hunger, blackouts, lack of water, medications… and you’re reveling in Fidel," wrote one user. Another parodied the tone of the contest: "I, teacher, have a poem... Oh commander, how can I not remember you, in every night of blackout, in every day without water, in every empty pot that echoes in the houses, in every child who cries for a little cup of milk."
A few weeks later, the same state media promoted the free download of books about Fidel Castro from the portal Fidel Soldier of Ideas, which also faced backlash. “If you’re going to give something for free, offer food because no one wants those absurd ideas, even for free,” wrote one internet user, while another sarcastically commented, “As soon as they give me the three hours of power I’m supposed to get based on the ration book, I’ll download them.”
These episodes reveal a pattern: while Cuba faces blackouts, inflation, shortages, and an unprecedented exodus, the official apparatus insists on presenting Fidel Castro as a source of inspiration. In contrast, social media has become the space where the population expresses its exhaustion in the face of propaganda that no longer resonates with the reality of the country.
Fidel Castro would turn 100 years old on August 13, 2026. The decision to dedicate the year to him coincides with a national scenario marked by extended blackouts, rampant inflation, and social discontent. In the words of a user: "What the people need is food, a decent salary, and medicine, not slogans or decrees." This decision further confirms the regime's disconnection from the daily lives of Cubans, marking another year of empty slogans while the country remains mired in misery, blackouts, and hopelessness.
Filed under: