“this is the most beautiful thing we will see today,” wrote on social media Leticia Martínez, press chief of Miguel Díaz-Canel, referring to the arrival in Havana of a vessel with aid from Mexico.
The statement contrasts sharply with the harsh daily reality of Cubans: prolonged blackouts, shortages of food and medicine, and a collapsed economic system that cannot be resolved with symbolic gestures.
"Lands in Cuba the flotilla Nuestra América with humanitarian aid from Mexico. They have named the ship Granma 2.0," said Leticia in a post on X.
In the image shared by the communicator, a fleet is not visible. On the ship, "Granma 2.0" is not written, but rather the word “Maguro,” which immediately recalls the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his arrest in Caracas in January, something filled with symbolism in the current Cuban context.
The boat is part of the so-called "Convoy Nuestra América," an initiative promoted by leftist activists and politicians aligned with the regime. More boats must arrive but the regime has not provided all the details. On Tuesday, only one vessel was seen.
On board was a group of people who, from the deck, waved Cuban flags and chanted political slogans, in a scene that resembled propaganda more than a discreet humanitarian operation.
The organizers assure that the "Granma 2.0" carries food, medicines, and technological equipment intended to alleviate the crisis on the island. The reception at the port of Havana had a distinctly ideological tone, with slogans such as “Cuba yes, blockade no!” and “For whatever it takes, Fidel, for whatever it takes.”
The convoy coordinator, Thiago Ávila, described the action as "an act of historical retribution," emphasizing the political narrative that has accompanied the initiative since its inception.
Basel Ramsis Labib, an activist who was part of the flotilla to Gaza, stated: "Naming one of the boats 'Granma 2.0' is not a tribute to Cubans, but rather a childish fantasy to suggest they are equal to those who were part of the original Granma, who were indeed brave and revolutionary."
Meanwhile, for millions of Cubans, the arrival of a solidarity ship—rusty and symbolic—falls far short of representing a real solution to the deep structural crisis the country is facing.
This fact is sparking a heated debate on social media. "What about the flotilla? A flotilla is, by definition, a fleet of ships, and here we see just one little boat," said a user.
"This is a bit silly, to see on a little boat with three tunas and four bags of rice, posing for a photo," said another Cuban.
There were also those who left warnings for the Head of Communication of the Presidency of Cuba: "Leticia, the costs of the hotels and entertainment for the useful fools of the world who came on vacation to Cuba cannot be covered even with 10 boats like that, full of products."
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