Susely Morfa González, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in Villa Clara, publicly celebrated that her province received the designation of "Outstanding" in the Moncadista emulation for July 26, a recognition awarded by the Political Bureau of the PCC that generated a wave of mockery and skepticism among Cubans on social media.
In a video released by Canal Caribe, Morfa attributed the award to the efforts of the "Villaclareño people," who, according to her, did not remain "idle" despite the "suffocating policies" and the limitations accumulated over more than six months.
"And this is, above all, a result of the people, the people of Villa Clara, the working people, who despite all the limitations, all the obstacles, and all the suffocating policies we have endured for over six months, intensified, have not stood idly by," declared the official.
Among the indicators that Morfa highlighted are an infant mortality rate of 6.3 per thousand and zero maternal mortality, the performance of educators in concluding the school year, the work of the tourism sector, tobacco farmers, commerce, and gastronomy, as well as the installation of solar-powered streetlights on main streets and avenues.
However, the reality that the residents of Villa Clara are experiencing directly contradicts this triumphant narrative. The province has suffered power outages of up to 20-22 hours daily so far in 2026, earning it the popular nickname "Dark Villa." In May 2026, the national electricity deficit reached a record high of 2,113 MW, with Villa Clara among the most affected provinces. Residents protested in March 2026 after experiencing more than 30 consecutive hours without electricity.
The energy crisis is compounded by a shortage of medications: 368 out of 636 essential drugs were out of stock in the province in June 2026, halting surgeries and emergency services. Furthermore, Villa Clara has accumulated six consecutive years of failing to meet the sugar production plan and lost more than 15,000 cattle in 2025, impacting milk and meat production.
In this context, the comments on the Canal Caribe video—which received 346 responses, mostly critical—reflected a widespread skepticism regarding the recognition. "The celebration happens with or without a blackout," wrote Rosa Rodríguez. Rolando Ruiz was more direct: "The people who endure so much, who have no electricity, water, or food, I don’t understand what achievement they are celebrating." Omar Hernández questioned the criteria: "What were the parameters measured? Because the results are nowhere to be seen." Omar Vega Rodríguez captured the sentiment with one phrase: "Villa Oscura, just a show. Ask the people of Villa Clara about those supposed achievements."
Morfa, popularly known as the "millionaire psychologist" since 2015 —when she claimed to have paid for her trip to the Summit of the Americas in Panama with her own salary of about 20 dollars a month—, was appointed first secretary of the PCC in Villa Clara in June 2025, during a session presided over by Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau.
Alongside Villa Clara, Matanzas also received the designation of Outstanding in emulation, while the municipality of Vertientes in Camagüey was recognized as a Vanguard for four consecutive years. Tony Hernández González summarized what many residents of Villa Clara are asking with a single question: "I don't understand anything, what do we stand out for?"
Filed under: