The death of Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, founder of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and a central figure in the repressive apparatus of the Cuban dictatorship, triggered a wave of reactions on social media this Sunday that starkly contrasted with the official mourning declared by the regime.
While Miguel Díaz-Canel announced the passing on his X account, describing the loss as something that "hurts deeply, like that of a father," hundreds of Cubans openly celebrated the news.
Valdés passed away at the age of 94 in the morning hours of this Sunday, Father's Day, as confirmed by Díaz-Canel himself and the state media Canal Caribe.
The regime described him as “Hero of the Republic of Cuba and of Labor,” with “a brilliant and extraordinary record of service to the homeland,” a characterization that starkly contrasted with the memory that a significant portion of the Cuban people hold of him.
He was popularly known among his detractors by the nicknames "Blood Puddle" and "the Butcher of Artemisa."
Valdés was the first head of MININT since its establishment in 1961, founded the Department of State Security and the General Directorate of Intelligence, and maintained close ties with the Soviet KGB.
His second term leading the ministry, from 1979 to 1985, was linked to internal control, prisons, and surveillance, during one of the harshest periods of repression under Castroism.
In August 2021, at the age of 89, he personally honored the oppressors who acted against the demonstrators of 11J in Palma Soriano.
The reactions on social media were immediate and widespread.
Lisa FC wrote: "The domino pieces started to fall."
Carlos Espinosa celebrated: "Amidst so many bad news, finally a good one, hallelujah."
On her part, Adriana Granado Sariol admitted: "May God forgive me, but today we celebrate, we drink, we enjoy," while Giomar Tutier was more straightforward: "He left without serving his sentence."
Similarly, Alina Alvarez Miranda noted: "May God have him where he belongs, he dealt a lot of blows to the prisoners."
Other comments blended humor with indignation. Zulema Hernández wrote: "At this hour, there’s a big game going on in the beyond. God says: here it's impossible. The devil says: not here, I don't want competition."
Daniel Javier Perez Batista summed up the everyday reality of the average Cuban: “Look how nice, for three minutes I’m going to forget that I have no water or electricity.”
Moreover, Mercedes Alonso pointed out the contrast between the life of the oppressor and that of the people: "He lived in a mansion overlooking the sea in Santa Fe, a long and comfortable life, yet another at the expense of the Cuban people."
Not everyone celebrated without nuances. Danilo Quiñonez reflected: "I never rejoice at anyone's death, but a person who did wrong leaves a memory that brings neither sadness nor joy."
On her part, Miriam Ramírez Santana lamented, "Another one leaving without a scratch," while Eddy Lugones concluded with a slogan: "That is the best gift for the parents of Cuba. Down with the dictatorship. Homeland and Life."
The death of Valdés did not come as a surprise to those who followed his public trajectory. His absence from official events since September 2025 had generated months of speculation, and on June 6, during the event for the 65th anniversary of MININT, Díaz-Canel acknowledged him as the "founding chief" in front of his empty chair.
With his passing, the historical generation of the Cuban Revolution is left with only two figures: Raúl Castro, 95 years old, and Guillermo García Frías.
Several users on social media were already pointing to the first one: Esther Echemendia Insausti wrote bluntly: "Raúl, get ready, you're going out."
Filed under: