Cuban Leader Díaz-Canel Compares Citizens to Resilient Palm Trees Amid Crisis

Amid Cuba's ongoing crisis following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel adopted a poetic tone, likening the resilience of Cubans to palm trees that withstand even the fiercest winds.

In a broadcast meeting of the National Defense Council on the program "Desde la Presidencia," Díaz-Canel declared that the "revolution is alive" and assured that its offspring "will always be protected." He acknowledged the slow passage of days for those awaiting electricity, water, food, or reconstruction materials, but promised that the government would not "abandon anyone to their fate."

Díaz-Canel remarked that some might argue resilience is embedded in the Cuban DNA, akin to palm trees that may bend, lose their crown, or the vibrant green of their leaves, yet remain standing against harsh winds. He emphasized that beyond this is something more potent: the nation's unity in the face of danger and the revolution's humanitarian efforts.

Addressing critics who label Cuba a "failed state," Díaz-Canel accused them of being "voices of hatred," asserting that "in Cuba, the state is all of us." He described the social fabric woven by the revolution as "more powerful than an ordinary state," embodying "the people's power."

A snippet of his speech shared on CiberCuba Noticias' Facebook page prompted a flood of reactions. In a matter of hours, the post garnered over 2,600 reactions, 1,600 comments, and numerous shares, predominantly critical or sarcastic in nature.

Many comments reflected frustration with the disparity between Díaz-Canel's rhetoric and Cuba's reality. Users wrote remarks like "Poet of disaster," "Not resilient, but exhausted," and "He talks of unity, yet the country is fractured." Others recalled his unmet promises: "He always says no one will be abandoned, yet help never arrives," and "The people want solutions, not poetry."

Overall, the responses highlight public fatigue with official narratives of resilience and unity in the face of ongoing blackouts, food shortages, and a lack of materials for rebuilding homes destroyed by the cyclone.

In his speech, Díaz-Canel claimed that "so far" no lives had been lost in Hurricane Melissa's aftermath in eastern Cuba, despite reports confirming at least two deaths in Santiago de Cuba. He explained that while lives were spared, "the few possessions of thousands of families, crops ready for harvest, and essential infrastructure were lost."

The hurricane caused severe flooding, power outages, and destroyed thousands of homes across Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Granma. Touring these provinces, Díaz-Canel vowed that "no one will be left helpless," yet offered no specific details on aid or reconstruction timelines. During a visit to Río Cauto in Granma, he reiterated his commitment to support and rebuild.

Despite these official visits, citizen reports highlight communities still lacking assistance and basic services, with complaints growing over food and construction material shortages. On social media, the message is clear: Cubans yearn not just to "resist" but to "live with dignity."

Days earlier, another speech by the leader — where he asserted that "principles are non-negotiable" — sparked widespread outrage. An online commentator encapsulated the island's pervasive discontent, stating, "Principles don't feed or quench thirst. People don't want to resist; they want to live."