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The Cuban regime has begun to mobilize workers from state-owned enterprises across the country to hold acts of support for Raúl Castro, following the criminal charges filed on Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice.
One of the cases is that of the Maritime Port Transport Business Group (GEMAR), affiliated with the Ministry of Transport, whose official Facebook account published images on Thursday of workers gathered in front of the ministry's headquarters in Havana, with sound equipment, a microphone on a stand, and a banner reading "May".
The official message from GEMAR declared: "The workers of GEMAR, together with the entire system of the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Cuba, reject the unfounded measures lacking any legitimacy against Army General Raúl Castro Ruz and reaffirm our commitment and loyalty to the Leader at the forefront of the Revolution."
This is not an isolated case: the same pattern is being replicated in numerous state workplaces across the country, turning work hours and space into political time in service of the regime.
The accusation that triggered this wave of mobilizations was presented on May 20 —Cuba's Independence Day— at the Freedom Tower in Miami by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who stated: "For almost 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have been waiting for justice."
The charges against Castro include conspiracy to assassinate American citizens, four individual counts of murder, and two counts of aircraft destruction, related to the downing of two civilian planes from Brothers to the Rescue on February 24, 1996, in which Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario Manuel de la Peña, and Pablo Morales lost their lives.
The central piece of the accusation is an audio recording from June 1996 in which Castro orders: "Throw them into the sea when they appear; and do not consult those who have the authority."
The regime's response was immediate. Miguel Díaz-Canel intensified the rhetoric on Thursday, stating, "The General of the Army is Cuba, and Cuba deserves respect," and added, "We do not disrespect the heroes of the Fatherland; we do not offend history and traditions without a response. Not in Cuba."
Meanwhile, the Union of Young Communists (UJC) called for a gathering at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune José Martí this Friday at 7:30 in the morning, with the aim of "condemning the despicable and infamous act of the Department of Justice of the United States."
This pattern of political pressure in workplaces is not new. During the "My Signature for the Homeland" campaign in April and May 2026, managers of state-owned companies were compelled to ensure at least 80% of signatures from their employees under the threat of dismissal, with slogans such as "Sign or resign."
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Raúl Castro as a "fugitive from American justice," and when asked about a potential arrest, he responded: "If there's an announcement, we'll let you know later, not before."
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