During her recent visit to the city of Bayamo, Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the province's leading Party secretary, launched a scathing critique against local leaders. She warned that as long as apathy, stagnation, and the normalization of abnormal conditions persist, progress will remain elusive—a situation she declared intolerable. The state-run newspaper, La Demajagua, echoed her stern admonitions in an article titled "Let Apathy Not Consume Us," though it failed to acknowledge her own role in the city's urban neglect.
Ortiz Barceló's inspection of key areas such as Los Elevados, La Plaza de la Patria, the Paseo del Prado, and the Calle de la Excelencia revealed that despite numerous agreements reached a month prior, most remain unfulfilled. This inefficiency stems not only from the negligence of responsible agencies but also from a lack of rigor, oversight, and accountability by municipal authorities, highlighting a troubling indifference in local governance, as reported by the cited news portal.
The visible evidence of neglect in Bayamo includes overgrown weeds, trash accumulation, dirt, peeling paint, broken lights, damaged benches, untrimmed gardens, fences needing repair, and stained marble. These issues underscore the mismanagement and negligence by municipal leaders.
Ortiz Barceló emphatically told the attending officials, "If we continue to be dominated by apathy, stagnation, and the acceptance of abnormality as normal, we will not progress, and we will not allow it." She also urged them to develop a "sense of belonging to the city that gave them birth and to the people they serve." According to her, these problems can be reversed by putting "heart" into their work and engaging "the neighborhood, the CDR, and the youth" in this process, as she believes their indifference leads to unsustainable conditions.
Blame Game Among Cuban Leaders
This instance is not unique; Cuban officials often point fingers at lower-ranking colleagues for territorial issues, conveniently ignoring the regime's upper echelon's role in creating or failing to resolve these unfavorable situations. In September, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz criticized regime leaders, labeling them "sloppy" and insensitive to the populace's concerns.
During a meeting in Gibara with residents he claims to represent in the National Assembly of People's Power, the prime minister "learned of their concerns and grievances," as reported by the official television news (NTV). "The first thing we need to eliminate is sloppiness and bureaucracy. Some leaders lack the necessary sensitivity to engage with the people in times like these. There are also those who fear sitting here, listening, and hearing the truths face-to-face. We need to address that," the prime minister declared.
Marrero recently called for greater "focus" among Cuban leaders to implement actions aimed at supporting government initiatives to rectify distortions and stimulate the economy. He emphasized this during the September Council of Ministers meeting, where he underscored the "responsibility" of local officials and leaders in delivering the results expected by the central government from their strategies and "projections."