Amidst one of the most severe economic crises in Cuba's recent history, and with several eastern municipalities still grappling with the devastation left by Hurricane Oscar, the regime remains committed to mobilizing the populace to throw flowers into the sea in homage to Camilo Cienfuegos. This is just one of the many meaningless rituals maintained by the government. Once again, state-controlled media outlets have recycled the same narratives, claiming that children, youth, and the general public "honor" Camilo by following the water's path and tossing flowers, desperately trying to uphold a tradition that loses significance amid the current crisis.
According to TV Santiago, over the last 65 years, "millions of flowers" have been cast into the sea in memory of Camilo Cienfuegos. The station shared a photo gallery showing children, taken from their classrooms, being led to the Santiago de Cuba seawall every October 28th to perform this ritual. In contrast, the news portal Escambray highlighted a glaring contradiction: any body of water, whether a river, lagoon, or reservoir, is deemed a suitable "venue" to pay tribute to someone who supposedly perished at sea.
Just days following the collapse of the National Electric System, exacerbated by the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant, which exposed the poor state of the power generators, the regime persists in squandering resources on unnecessary acts, pulling people from key jobs. As evidenced by a post from CUPET, the Cuban oil company, "oil workers" purportedly participated to uphold the ideals of a "free and sovereign Cuba," echoing the hollow slogans typical of the regime's propaganda.
Journalist Camila Acosta highlighted the regime's determination to preserve "traditions," regardless of their material and economic cost, by sharing on social media the government's efforts to "ensure" the flower-throwing ritual takes place. "Between the Plaza de la Revolución and the Malecón, there are about 15 blocks. Thousands of individuals, including military personnel, paramilitaries, and collaborators, must be mobilized for this senseless ideological display, in a nation collapsing," observed Acosta.
The Show Goes On Nationwide
Nonetheless, this spectacle unfolds across the country. Journalist Yosmany Mayeta posted on Facebook that in Santiago de Cuba, the "performance" even featured a band. "The people of Santiago forgot they live in hunger, in darkness, without water, without gas, and in poverty, to throw flowers for Camilo," he commented. "Here is a video for you to witness the 'sheep-like' behavior still prevalent in Cuba," he added, with visuals that reveal the ongoing indoctrination suffered by the populace.