The Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) published this Monday on its official Facebook account a quote from Fidel Castro that encapsulates the rhetoric of sacrifice that the Cuban regime has been repeating for decades, with particular emphasis this 2026.
"We are a small nation, but worthy of respect! We are a small nation in size, but great in dignity! We are a small nation in size, but one that deserves respect simply because the Cuban has shown that he knows how to die!" is part of Castro's quote disseminated by MINFAR under the hashtag #FARCuba.
The full text adds: "The Cuban people have shown that despite the tanks, the cannons, the bombs, and the airplanes, and despite the thousands and thousands of soldiers, more than they can ever send us, we knew how to take the weapons from their hands."
The words come from a speech that Castro delivered on May 14, 2004, in response to the so-called "Bush Plan for a Free Cuba" and the appointment of an American coordinator for the political transition on the Island. More than two decades later, the military apparatus revives them as if they were a response to the present.
The post sparked reactions among Facebook users who questioned the meaning of discussing dignity and sacrifice in a country where millions of people struggle to meet their basic needs.
"Dignity is not something you eat," replied an internet user, one of the most direct critiques of the official message. "Yes, very deserving of respect. That's why millions of Cubans detest misery and hunger," another user quipped, while a third asked, "And where is that dignity?"
References to food scarcity also appeared in comments such as "And with no food!" and "Eat proteins," which contrasted with Castro's words about the willingness of Cubans to face death in the face of everyday difficulties in obtaining food.
Others directly questioned the legacy of the deceased ruler. "Cuba was a free and wealthy nation, with a future brighter than all of Latin America, but then Castro came and it went to hell," wrote a user.
There were also mockeries of the official propaganda. "The beacon of death, misery, slavery, imprisonment..." commented one internet user, while another noted, "I imagine there are North Koreans with the same opinions."
The publication is not coincidental. The regime declared 2026 the "Year of Preparation for Defense" and, from the very beginning, has turned the MINFAR social media into a chain of militaristic slogans. In January, the ministry warned that the fall of socialism would lead to a supposed "genocide" and that the flags of the Revolution "will not be handed over without a fight."
In May, it spread the slogans “victory or death” and “the order to cease fire will never be given”, accompanied by images of soldiers, rifles, and missiles. In August, it returned with soldiers in trenches repeating slogans about the defense of the “socialist homeland”.
The contrast between that rhetoric and the reality faced by the Cuban people is stark. The annual inflation reached 25.19% in August, with food accounting for nearly three-quarters of the monthly price increase. The Gross Domestic Product contracted by approximately 5% in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of decline. The national electric system has recorded at least eight total outages this year, which have caused massive blackouts of up to 48 consecutive hours in several provinces.
The formula of using the people as a political and rhetorical shield against the crisis is not new in the regime's rhetoric, but its intensity in 2026 coincides with a population suffering from hunger, darkness, and scarcity while their rulers ask them to be willing to die.
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