Although it may seem like a meme, the Cuban regime had its Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria (MGR) show off its strength on social media.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces published a propaganda video titled "Shield of the Homeland" under the hashtags #LaPatriaSeDefiende and #FARCuba, showcasing joint exercises of their naval units.
The official message states that "the use of its forces and resources strengthens cohesion, discipline, and combat readiness, demonstrating that the defense of the nation improves day by day."
The publication, however, did not generate fear or respect; it unleashed a wave of mockery that turned the video into material for unintentional humor.
"My God, 126 comments and all of them are funny. That makes me question whether this page is serious or just memes," wrote the user Yani Ojeda, summarizing the overall tone of the comments section.
Comparisons were swift to arise. "Columbus' ships had more technology," Agustín Núñez quipped. Edgardo L. Marcial Virella noted that "they launched the only rocket for the video," while Yoelbis Moya described the equipment as "an Atec Panda television screen with a Karpati coil."
David García was more straightforward: "I thought it was a hidden camera; Regla's boat has better conditions."
Other users wondered if the sailors were "fishing for tilapia or crabs," and Claudia Aguilera remarked sarcastically, "The fishing for catfish has never been so high-tech. Wow, we are making progress."
This new publication is part of a campaign that the regime has been executing since January, when it declared 2026 as the "Year of Preparation for Defense", with military exercises every weekend under the doctrine of "Total People's War."
On June 12th, Díaz-Canel personally oversaw maneuvers at the Santa Fe Defense Zone and reiterated the plan for weekly activities.
None of the propaganda videos from MINFAR published this year have escaped public ridicule. Cadets performing a "military fantasy" that resembled contemporary dance, teams of oxen transporting metal obstacles, a Soviet Mi-8 helicopter on which users sarcastically commented "even the helicopter is hungry there," and the official troubadour Raúl Torres on a tank have continuously fed the unintentional humor of Cuban social media.
The gap between the rhetoric of "invincibility" and the reality of armed forces with outdated equipment and scarce resources remains, as Yendri Ramírez summarized in the comments, "ridiculous after ridiculous: they surpass themselves."
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