While Cubans continue to face blackouts, food shortages, and an unprecedented economic crisis, the official discourse in Havana is once again turning toward the old script of the external enemy and the "imminent war."
A report broadcasted by Canal Caribe showed the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel supervising a military exercise in the Cerro municipality of Havana, as part of the actions for National Defense Day, which they described as preparation for “complete combat readiness” in the event of a supposed enemy attack.
According to state television, the President visited the Armed Zone Defense Council in the Martí neighborhood, where he reviewed plans and exercises conducted by militias, production and defense brigades, as well as special groups aimed at protecting one of the most populated municipalities in the capital.
During the tour, the president of the Municipal Defense Council of Cerro, Maylín Alberti Arozarena, made statements that caught attention due to their openly alarming tone.
"We are preparing in the Cerro as there are great possibilities that this will be an area of invasion, wear and tear, limited strikes, and confrontations with artillery," he stated.
Arozarena emphasized that the territory is strategically important due to its proximity to the Boyeros municipality and Boyeros Avenue, which is considered a key access route to Havana. In this context, he justified the military exercise as part of the "defense plan" against any potential aggression scenario.
But the most troubling aspect of his words was the emphasis on arming the population.
"It is very important that we can carry out these preparation exercises so that the people have a weapon to fight and can defend what is most sacred, which is the defense of the homeland," he declared.
The report also noted that there are 53 companies in the municipality that, according to the official discourse, must ensure production continuity "in times of war" to maintain supplies and support what they refer to as "the vitality of the population and the soldiers."
The released images showed training of the brigades, including assembly and disassembly practices and shooting exercises with infantry weapons, in a display that reinforces the narrative of constant confrontation that the regime has maintained for decades.
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