The Training Ship Simón Bolívar (BE-11) of the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela arrived this Thursday at the Guillermón Moncada port in Santiago de Cuba, as part of its XXXVI Instructional Cruise Abroad.
His arrival was accompanied by 21 artillery salutes that caused widespread alarm among the people of Santiago.
The detonations were heard at various points throughout the city, and according to reports, they were fired both from the ship and from the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca - the historic Morro of Santiago de Cuba - as part of the highest honor salute in international naval tradition.
Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada documented the public confusion on Facebook and criticized the silence of Cuban official media.
"Thursday morning began with surprise for many residents of Santiago. A total of 21 artillery salutes were heard at various points in the city, causing concern and numerous questions among the population," he said.
"Dozens of people wrote to me alarmed, trying to find out what was happening in the bay of Santiago de Cuba," Mayeta wrote in his post, where he explained that only after making inquiries was he able to confirm that it was the arrival of the Venezuelan vessel.
The journalist was emphatic in pointing out the responsibility of the state media.
"It is regrettable that the official media do not provide advance notice about events of this nature. A simple informational note could have prevented the concern of hundreds of residents in Santiago who woke up startled this morning, unsure whether it was a military act, an emergency, or some extraordinary incident," he emphasized.
The Embassy of Venezuela in Cuba had published an invitation the day before for the public to visit the ship from June 5 to 7, between 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM, with free access at the Santiago port, but this information was not disseminated by official media in a timely manner.
It was notable that the Venezuelan diplomatic mission's post included the hashtags #LosQueremosDeVuelta and #BringThemBack, which are typically associated with campaigns for the release of Venezuelan political prisoners, in the context of what was presented as a simple tourist invitation.
The Simón Bolívar, known as "The Ambassador Without Borders," is a three-masted sailing ship with 120 cadets on board that began its journey of 4,200 nautical miles on March 21, 2026, making stops in Grenada, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Mexico, and Cuba.
It is not the first time the ship has visited Santiago de Cuba: in June 2024, during its XXXIV Instructional Cruise, the vessel arrived at the same port, Guillermón Moncada, with 173 crew members, in a week that coincided with the presence of Russian, Canadian, and American military vessels in Cuban waters.
Mayeta concluded her statement with a reflection that encapsulates the regime's pattern of information opacity: "Because timely information is not a luxury. It is a responsibility. And when information doesn’t arrive, fear and uncertainty take its place."
Filed under: