The Cuban regime celebrated this Saturday a new edition of the National Defense Day with military exercises in five provinces of the country, arguing that "the threat of an attack by the enemy on our country" makes the call to prepare "an obligatory task," as reported by the state-run channel Canal Caribe.
The provinces of Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Camagüey, Matanzas, and Cienfuegos were the setting for activities that included combat caliber shooting exercises, air raid drills, ambushes, installation of anti-tank mines, placement of explosives, and evacuation of the civilian population.
In Villa Clara, regular units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the territorial defensive system conducted training exercises with infantry weapons and anti-aircraft defense, supported by the Zone Defense Councils.
In Sancti Spíritus, the epicenter was the Zone Defense Council of Jesús María, led by Osmundo Martínez Montes de Oca, president of the Municipal Defense Council.
It was also specified there the location and condition of the shelters designated for the protection of the population. The state media described the day as a demonstration of "the unwavering commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty against imperial threats."
In Camagüey, the defense zone 17 Agramonte Simóni conducted combined classes and tactical exercises with the presence of Walter Simón, president of the Provincial Defense Council. The official report stated that "high combat morale is a guarantee of victory."
Matanzas was the setting for one of the most elaborate exercises: the evacuation of the population was simulated in the event of an enemy air attack, primary care for the wounded was practiced, and demonstrations of anti-tank mine installation and explosive placement in a combat zone were conducted.
In Cienfuegos, the defense area 03 San José Maltiempo carried out an exercise in territorial defense to protect an economic objective. The state channel presented it as a demonstration of "the citizen's will to preserve peace through their combat readiness."
These exercises are conducted weekly starting from January 12, 2026, when the regime declared that year as "Year of Preparation for Defense" and reinvigorated the doctrine of the "War of All the People," originally conceived by Fidel Castro in the 1980s to deter a U.S. invasion.
The military escalation intensified following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces on January 3, 2026, which the regime interpreted as a potential precedent for military action against Cuba.
Since then, the warlike rhetoric has not ceased: on June 6, Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that "if the homeland is attacked, we will respond in legitimate defense. And if they attempt to enter, there is no doubt, there will be a determined and firm fight."
The Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz participated in a similar event on June 13 in Havana, where he stated that “Cuba desires peace and is preparing to defend its sovereignty”, a phrase that the regime repeats in each edition of these exercises to justify the military mobilization of the civilian population.
This Saturday's event comes just three days after Washington announced new sanctions against Cuban entities, as part of the maximum pressure policy maintained by the Trump administration towards Havana.
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