On the eve of May 1, 2026, the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba (CTC) unleashed a wave of awards of the "National Vanguard" distinction to workplaces across the country, sparking outrage and mockery on social media due to the contradiction between the official acknowledgments and the reality faced by the Cuban people.
The page "Realidad Cubana" on Facebook captured the sentiment of many citizens with a post that went viral: "Every day on the NTV they announce that THIS or THAT WORKPLACE and STATE INSTITUTION have achieved the status of 'NATIONAL VANGUARD' for their excellent results, all in a country where nothing functions even moderately normally."
Among the most notable cases is the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant in Matanzas, which received the award for the fifth time despite having gone offline from the National Electroenergy System at least seven times in 2026, including a total collapse on March 16 that left 68% of the island without electricity for nearly 30 hours.
Journalist José Miguel Solís from Radio Rebelde in Matanzas celebrated the award, stating that "this year, as outlined in the economic and social program, the long-awaited general maintenance will begin, focusing on the turbine, generator, and boiler." The plant, inaugurated in 1988, has never received major maintenance since it was put into service, accumulating more than 36 years of deterioration.
Also, ETECSA in Holguín is among the awarded entities, as reported by "Realidad Cubana": "They even awarded ETECSA in Holguín." The province recorded 804 reports of blackouts with an average duration of 24 hours a day, and in Mayarí, 400 families were without electricity for 29 days due to the theft of dielectric oil at a substation.
The pattern of rewarding amid failure has immediate precedents: in March, the director of Guiteras was promoted despite the electrical collapse his plant experienced, generating a similar outrage among Cubans.
On April 30, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz presided over the presentation of the "National Vanguard" award to three entities of the Palco Business Group, while President Miguel Díaz-Canel led the presentation of the Honorary Title of Hero of Labor to 18 Cubans. In Villa Clara, 44 labor collectives received the provincial distinction as part of the celebrations.
The public reaction on social media combined irony and indignation. "A country that has to receive donations from Haiti shows just how deep its misery is," wrote one user. Another pointed out, "It's something PATHOLOGICAL; we live in a parallel world of LIES."
The comments also pointed to the energy crisis facing Cuba, with a generation deficit that reached 1,955 MW in March and four consecutive months without enough fuel to sustain the national electrical system.
"It’s the latest from the comuñangas; now all the companies are at the forefront in a country with the highest inflation in America and an economy on the floor," summarized another citizen, in a phrase that captures the chasm between the official discourse and the everyday reality faced by the Cuban people.
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