The Central Army of Cuba publicly supported this Tuesday the statements made by Miguel Díaz-Canel to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo and stated that the Armed Forces "adopt these statements as their own," in a message with a defiant tone towards Washington.
In a post on Facebook, the military command shared an official image from the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) featuring a photograph of the ruler along with the phrase: "We stand firm, fighting without surrendering."
"The position taken by comrade Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez is not an isolated gesture: it is a reaffirmation that Cuba does not negotiate its dignity or its self-determination," stated the Central Army.
The text also states that "the resilience of our people is the backbone that supports our nation against the pressures of the empire" and concludes with several political slogans.
The military support comes after the interview granted by Díaz-Canel to journalist Mônica Bergamo, published on Sunday, August 23, by Folha under the headline "The U.S. is suffocating Cuba, but we stand firm."
One of the most striking moments of the conversation occurred when he was asked if he feared facing the same fate as Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces on January 3rd.
"From this administration of the United States, we can expect anything (...). If my time has come, it has come. But it will not be with weakness and cowardice. It will be fighting," Díaz-Canel replied.
During the operation that ended with the capture of Maduro, 32 Cuban soldiers died who were part of his security detail in Caracas. Havana acknowledged the deaths the following day and declared two days of national mourning.
In the interview, Díaz-Canel also denied that Cuba is on the brink of collapse, despite acknowledging the severity of the energy, oil, and medicine crisis facing the island.
"There are blackouts, but no blackout has extinguished the hope of the Cuban people," he affirmed. He also stated that millions of Cubans would give their lives for the system: "If 32 gave their lives in Venezuela, what wouldn't millions of Cubans do to defend the revolution?".
The statement from the Central Army adds to the military rhetoric that Cuban authorities have intensified since Maduro's capture. In June, the military leadership rallied behind Díaz-Canel during the event marking the 65th anniversary of the Western Army.
Days later, the Central Army itself issued a warning to the "enemy": "Here, preparation is daily, discipline is total, and victory is certain."
The new military unity exhibition takes place while Cuba is going through a deep crisis. The electricity generation deficit surpassed 2,411 MW on August 5, while the IX Report from the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights indicates that 94% of Cubans live in extreme poverty, and 95% of those surveyed disapprove of the government's economic management.
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