The first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in the municipality of Camagüey, Yoandris Ruiz Villalón, participated this Thursday in the provincial event commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the assault on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks with a speech of revolutionary reaffirmation that contrasts with the crisis that the people of Camagüey experience daily.
In the event, broadcast by Canal Caribe, Ruiz Villalón stated the phrase that summarizes the official stance of the regime regarding the collapse that the island is experiencing: "The work is not perfect, but the revolution is immense."
The official called on the people of Camagüey to remain steadfast: "Just ideas do not die; we will fight on all fronts to ensure our truth does not fade," he said.
Ruiz Villalón also stated that "none of the Cubans have to kneel for their rights to be respected," and called upon "the will to overcome" as a tool against what he described as "maneuvers of the U.S. government."
The reality that the discourse does not mention
While the communist leader celebrated the "vastness" of the revolution, Camagüey is one of the provinces hardest hit by the energy crisis affecting Cuba in 2026. Residents endure power outages lasting between 20 and 25 hours a day, directly impacting hospitals, polyclinics, and access to drinking water.
The Nuevitas thermoelectric plant, located in the same province, has been identified as a trigger for several outages in the National Electric Power System throughout this year.
In June, the authorities of Camagüey urged the population to boil water due to the shortage of chlorine gas and aluminum sulfate for its purification, a situation that was not mentioned at any point in the official speech on July 26.
On a national scale, Cuba broke its historical record for electrical deficit in May 2026 with 2,174 MW, leaving 70% of the island without electricity simultaneously. On July 6, a widespread blackout affected approximately 9.6 million people.
The pattern of discourse from Ruiz Villalón is neither new nor isolated. A few weeks ago, the First Secretary of the PCC in Matanzas, Mario Sabines Lorenzo, generated a wave of outrage on social media by celebrating that his province received the designation of "Outstanding" in the emulation for July 26.
The government awarded that "honor" at a time when Matanzas is experiencing prolonged blackouts, water shortages, and an outbreak of dengue and chikungunya.
The national central event of the 73rd anniversary was celebrated in Pinar del Río, designated as the venue by the Political Bureau of the PCC on June 27, a province that also faces power outages of more than 20 hours daily and over 40,000 families without housing.
While the regime leaders reaffirm their support for the revolution, the people have been suffering for more than five years from a lack of basic services such as electricity, food, and drinking water.
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