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Fidel Castro Smirnov, grandson of Fidel Castro, admitted recently during a conference held in London that in Cuba "the danger has never been closer."
At a moment of extreme fragility for the Cuban regime, Castro Smirnov -son of the late Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart- made the aforementioned statement during his participation in the conference “¡Adelante! América Latina!”, held at Hamilton House, in front of an audience made up of activists, British parliamentarians, and representatives of leftist movements.
Recognition of the crisis and ideological reaffirmation
Castro Smirnov surprised everyone by openly acknowledging "a serious situation in Cuba", characterized -in his words- by the "profound deterioration of island society."
However, rather than acknowledging internal responsibilities, his speech focused on denouncing external enemies and reaffirming the family legacy as a guide for the future, as reported by the agency ANSA Latina.
“We count on Fidel's legacy and thought as our main reference for the future,” he stated, invoking his grandfather as a symbol and guide for the Cuban socialist model, amidst an unprecedented crisis.
Amidst the fuel shortage, blackouts, uncontrolled inflation, and massive emigration, the official narrative remains firmly attached to the idea of "revolutionary resistance."
In that context, Castro Smirnov asserted that "there will be no blockades or imperial pressures capable of diverting the path towards sovereign socialism."
Criticism of Trump and Rubio
One of the central themes of the speech was the direct accusation against the United States, particularly targeting President Donald Trump and Senator Marco Rubio, whom he held responsible for the worsening situation on the Island.
"We see Donald Trump and Marco Rubio obsessed with destroying my country," he said; and added:
“They offer us a deal. They say, ‘Renounce your dignity, kneel before me, and I will return the light to you.’ That is not diplomacy. It is a slave auction.”
Castro Smirnov did not limit himself to conventional denunciations but instead resorted to a scientific metaphor to defend the regime's stance against international sanctions:
"Donald Trump believes that pressure generates submission. He is wrong. Pressure generates resistance," he stated, before insisting that "loyalty is not a transaction."
Collapsed Cuba and the discourse of resistance
Extended power outages, shortages of food and medicine, paralysis of transportation, increasing repression, and unprecedented emigration shape the context in which this message of political propaganda is issued.
Castro Smirnov insisted that the response must be ideological and collective
"We have demonstrated that, with intelligence, suitable strategies, and unity around our political vanguard, there will be no force in the world capable of defeating us."
"Here is Fidel with us, in command, dreaming, riding. We continue building alongside him. I speak on behalf of those of us who carry Fidel in our hearts, in our blood, in our minds, and in the windmills that still remain to be toppled," he added.
The message, delivered in an unusual setting for the official narrative, aimed to project a generational continuity that reinforces the connection between the revolutionary past and the collapsing present.
Despite the scenario of internal devastation, the regime continues to rely on the rhetoric of external siege as its main explanation and justification.
Family Ecos: From Mariela Castro to Sandro Castro
The rhetoric of confrontation is not exclusive to Fidel Castro Smirnov.
Days earlier, Mariela Castro, daughter of Raúl Castro and director of the National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX), stated that “there is no possibility of negotiating with imperialism and all its facets.”
"The principles are non-negotiable," she stated in an interview with Resumen Latinoamericano. According to her, the goal of the United States is to "dismantle the example that for 67 years we have resisted the empire."
Much more pragmatic and cheeky has been Sandro Castro, who recently hinted during one of his usual online appearances that he now prefers "Cuba libre" over his iconic "Cristach."
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