For years, the Cuban regime turned large popular gatherings into one of its main tools for political legitimization.
From the Plaza de la Revolución to the May Day parades, images of crowds have for decades been a symbol of strength.
Today, however, it is enough to compare two scenarios separated by nearly 2,000 kilometers for an uncomfortable question to arise for the Palace of the Revolution.
Does the Cuban diplomat Johana Tablada de la Torre have more capacity to project support for Castroism from Mexico than Miguel Díaz-Canel does within Cuba?
Presumably, no one in the Communist Party of Cuba or in the Castro family is considering replacing the designated ruler with their ambassador. However, the images from the weekend invite, at the very least, irony.
While Díaz-Canel was presiding over the central event for July 26 in Pinar del Río, in a venue that was meticulously prepared, with hundreds of chairs aligned and a stage design crafted to perfection by the state apparatus, thousands of people were marching in Mexico in support of the Cuban regime, called by solidarity organizations, political collectives, and social groups, with the participation of the diplomatic representation from Havana.
Official figures were notably absent in both cases. Neither the Mexican authorities nor the organizers provided a verifiable count of attendees at the march. The Cuban regime also did not disclose how many people participated in the central event of the revolutionary anniversary.
But the images speak for themselves.
The videos of the march on Paseo de la Reforma show a long, continuous column throughout much of the route. The photographs of the event in Pinar del Río reflect a gathering with attendance visually comparable to the mobilization recorded in the Mexican capital, if not lower.
It is not a mathematical test. It is a political comparison. And therein lies precisely the problem for Díaz-Canel.
During the last few years, the major official convocations in Cuba have been losing the ability to attract attendance that they showcased in previous decades.
The May Day parades, the marches in front of the former U.S. Interests Section —and later in front of the U.S. Embassy— or the mobilizations called after the protests of July 11, 2021 have been characterized by a common denominator: a strong dependence on the mobilization of state workers, students, and official organizations.
The calls are usually organized early in the morning to avoid the heat, workplaces receive guidance to ensure attendance, and official cameras often resort to close-ups that make it difficult to gauge the true scale of the crowd.
Meanwhile, the figures released by the state press often raise skepticism among numerous observers and independent media.
In that context, the contrast with Mexico takes on an unexpectedly symbolic value this July 26.
Paradoxically, the most powerful image of support for the regime over the weekend did not come from Cuba, but from abroad.
And there appears the newly appointed diplomat of the regime, Johana Tablada de la Torre.
The Cuban ambassador in Mexico has become one of the most visible figures of revolutionary diplomacy for several years now.
Unlike the tearful and bureaucratic style of Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, the second-in-command in Mexico has built a much more combative profile. It is common to see her leading public debates, responding to critics on social media, and vehemently defending the official narrative from Havana.
It is no coincidence that her name increasingly appears associated with international solidarity campaigns for Cuba. Nor is it surprising that she is one of the officials with the most media presence of the regime.
If political success were measured exclusively by the ability to create impactful photographs, the weekend's events would invite, at least in jest, a review of some files in the Communist Party’s cadre committee.
Because while Díaz-Canel continues to struggle to convey the image of a leadership supported by the masses on the island, the ambassador succeeded in shifting the media spotlight toward Mexico.
Surely 'El Cangrejo' will not propose Tablada de la Torre to occupy the presidential office due to his involvement in a march on Paseo de la Reforma. However, comparisons are inevitable. Few things unsettle the Castro family—who have made image control a matter of state—more than discovering that the most compelling political photograph of their anniversary talisman was not taken in Cuba.
Tablada de la Torre has just added a curious "merit" to his resume: for one day, he managed to make images supporting the regime outside the island compete with those of the main political event organized by the Díaz-Canel government.
For a system obsessed with crowds, it is hard to overlook a difficult irony.
Filed under: