Related videos:
The Military Region of Matanzas celebrated its Territorial Defense Day this Friday with exercises that included one of the most striking moments of the day, in which a squad of riflemen simulated combating enemy drones in a rural area of the province.
According to the report from the regional channel TV Yumurí, the activity started with the activation of working groups and subgroups, and it lasted for several hours featuring various simulated combat scenarios.
The actions carried out included the evacuation of the population in anticipation of a hypothetical enemy air attack, providing primary care to the wounded, and conducting an ambush on enemy troops.
The combined classes included instruction on the installation of anti-tank mines and the placement of explosives in combat areas, while local institutions and businesses provided basic services such as food preparation during the day, the source specified.
The exercises in Matanzas took place simultaneously with four other provinces: Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Camagüey, and Cienfuegos, as part of the National Defense Day that the regime turned into a weekly exercise starting in January, when it declared that year as the Year of Preparation for Defense.
The Caribbean Channel of the official television justified the mobilization by stating that "the threat of an attack by the enemy on our country makes the call to prepare a mandatory task."
The militaristic rhetoric intensified following the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces on January 3, which the regime interpreted as a possible precedent for action against Cuba.
On June 6, the ruler 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."
However, the contrast between rhetoric and military reality is striking. According to an analysis by the American broadcaster CNN published on June 24, the active personnel of the Revolutionary Armed Forces have decreased from 235,000 to a maximum of 50,000 soldiers, equipped with outdated Soviet matériel and MiG fighters that are virtually inoperable due to a lack of fuel and spare parts.
In April, Villa Clara showcased maneuvers with mules and ox-drawn carts that sparked widespread ridicule on social media, an image that encapsulates the true state of the Cuban military apparatus.
This Saturday's event occurred three days after Washington announced new sanctions against Cuban entities as part of the Trump administration's maximum pressure policy, and amid an unprecedented economic crisis.
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded 1,311 protests across Cuba in May, with power outages as the main cause, while the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cepal) projects a 6.5% decline in Cuba's GDP for this year.
Filed under: