The final contingent of the Cuban delegation that competed in the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games landed in Havana this Monday morning, concluding a participation cycle that blended outstanding performances with historically poor results in the island's flagship sports.
The return was welcomed with an official event attended by figures from the Party and the government, as reported by the state media Jit. Among those present were the First Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman Waugh, Teresa Amarelle Boue (member of the Political Bureau and general secretary of the Federation of Cuban Women), Meivis Estévez (general secretary of the Union of Young Communists), and Osvaldo Vento Montiller, president of the National Institute of Sports, who led the Cuban mission in Santo Domingo.
The voice of the delegation was the canoeist Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboy, a three-time champion in these Games and a bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "We return with our hearts full of pride, because every step we took, every effort was inspired by that people who resist and overcome, despite all the difficulties," she declared to those present.
Cirilo also emphasized the collective dimension of the effort: "Those of us who returned with medals and those who did not reach the podium felt the support of every Cuban. We were never alone; they ran, jumped, lifted, and shoveled alongside us."
In the sports arena, Cuba finished third in the final medal count with 51 golds, 48 silvers, and 56 bronzes, for a total of 155 medals. Mexico topped the table with 167 golds, while Colombia came in second with 91. The outcome fell short of the official target of at least 67 golds, although the delegation did achieve the goal of finishing in the top three.
The Games left deep scars on traditional sports. The men's baseball team missed the podium for the first time in 60 years —since San Juan 1966— after losing to Puerto Rico 9-1 in the bronze medal match. The men's boxing also failed to win any titles, with all three male finalists losing to competitors from the Dominican Republic.
The Games were also marked by at least two defections: the runner Leah Daniela Almeida left the delegation on July 28, just days after winning bronze, and the hockey goalkeeper Moisés David Torres Puig was the first athlete to leave the delegation on July 24.
Rolando Yero, a member of the Central Committee of the Party, took advantage of the event to invoke a return of political symbolism. He compared this delegation to the one that traveled to San Juan in 1966 aboard the ship Cerro Pelado and stated that "the enemy is the same," even though the contexts are different. The event took place just a few days before the centenary of Fidel Castro's birth, scheduled for August 13.
"With discipline in training, bravery in competition, and a commitment to defending the flag of the lone star," concluded Cirilo Duboy, whose three gold medals in canoeing —including the C-1 200 m, the C-2 500 m, and the mixed canoe 500 m— were among the standout performances of Cuba in Santo Domingo 2026.
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