The Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, reiterated this Thursday his usual call to “not be afraid of change” in Cuba, a message that raises suspicions in the current context of tensions with the United States.
His statements were made during the Extraordinary Provincial Government Councils held in Granma and Holguín. The message, presented as a call to transformation, is a refrain of the official discourse that is also shared by the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel.
However, neither of these two Cuban political figures has clearly explained what changes the country needs or where these transformations are headed.
“We cannot be afraid of change; the first one who called for change was the Commander-in-Chief, on May 1, 2000, in the Plaza de la Revolución, to change everything that needs to be changed,” Marrero stated before provincial officials on January 29.
Immediately, he pointed out: “We are not going to change the foundational roots of our revolution, we are not going to change our principles, nor our socialist system.”
The meeting, dedicated to "adjusting the Economic and Social Plan for 2026" in a context that Marrero himself described as "a wartime economy," emphasized the need to "mobilize all internal reserves of the country" and promote "a radical change in mentality."
The supposed change does not indicate structural reforms, but rather a greater control of the municipalities and direct oversight from the governmental apparatus.
"We can no longer lead from meetings and reports; we must lead in the streets, alongside the people," said the prime minister.
The rhetoric of "changing mindset"
On January 22, in Ciego de Ávila, Marrero urged communist leaders to “broaden their mindset” and to “not behave as if everything were normal.” “If we want to make progress, we must do things differently and not be afraid of change,” he insisted at that time.
The message was almost identical to the one delivered that same day by Miguel Díaz-Canel in Cienfuegos, during a session of the Communist Party.
“The mindset that is needed,” Díaz-Canel said, “is how I go out to seek, how I think differently, always thinking about seeking prosperity. If the municipality is prosperous, the province will be, and the country will be too,” he stated.
The leader emphasized that the change must come from the communist militants and avoid any questioning of the political system. "If the militants do not take the lead in production and services, that remains just talk and will not be achieved," he said.
In practice, the calls to “think differently” or “not be afraid of change” boil down to a plea to work harder within the same model.
The communist leaders, who already control all sectors of the economy, are now demanding more commitment and efficiency from themselves, but the political and administrative structure remains unchanged.
This insistence on the "discourse of change" has been interpreted by some internet users as "a lie, a performance", while others believe that "it may be an attempt to prepare the population for new adjustments, agreements with the U.S. behind the scenes, or unpopular measures."
In a moment of international pressure, with the fall of the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and Washington's firm policy towards Havana, the Cuban government is exploring the possibility of modifying its narrative, but they have made it clear that they do not intend to alter the system that has kept them in power for over 60 years.
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