A Cuban improvisational poet dedicated a rhyme to Miguel Díaz-Canel this Friday during an informal exchange following the political event held at the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune in Havana, comparing his name to that of Fidel Castro.
The moment occurred on the sidelines of the event convened in support of Raúl Castro, after the United States Department of Justice declassified a criminal charge against the former leader on May 20 related to the downing of two planes from Brothers to the Rescue in 1996.
The video was published by the official account of the Presidency of Cuba on Facebook.
What stands out in the context is that Díaz-Canel, despite attending the event dressed in combat olive green uniform, did not deliver any speech to the crowd, breaking his usual pattern in that setting.
The only leader who spoke formally was Gerardo Hernández, national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, who relayed a brief message attributed to Raúl Castro.
The honoree himself also did not attend the event organized in his name, which sparked ridicule on social media. "And the honoree didn't go to his own event?", wrote a Cuban user. "And Raúl is in the cave!", added another internet user.
The rhyme that compares "Díaz-Canel" with "Fidel" is an expression of the official narrative of revolutionary continuity: the regime seeks to legitimize the leader by symbolically linking him to the founder of the Revolution. The use of the olive green uniform—imbued with symbolism since 1959—reinforces that same image.
Raúl Castro will turn 95 years old on June 3, 2026. The regime that he and his brother built continues to insist on presenting their protégé as the legitimate heir to a legacy that, according to Friday's rhyme, even carries its fate written in its name.
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