Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), admitted on Thursday that true unity is absent within the Party. He emphasized that such unity cannot be merely "formal or uncritical," but must arise from the exchange and confrontation of ideas among its members.
During extraordinary plenary sessions of the PCC provincial committees in Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo, Díaz-Canel warned that unity cannot rest on silence or superficial agreements.
"Unity is not, and cannot be, formal and uncritical; we cannot assume that just because we claim to have unity, we are genuinely united. Without debate and honest, open criticism to improve, there is no unity, comrades," Díaz-Canel stated in his remarks broadcasted by Canal Caribe.
The leader further noted that "unity is built through vigorous discussion among ourselves, while moving forward together." He asserted that "when silence prevails to avoid discomfort and issues continue to pile up, there is no unity; that is a lie, a fictitious, uncritical, formal unity."
Díaz-Canel also insisted that unity should be grounded in "frankness, honesty, and the active participation of all members." He advocated for "clean and transparent" debates within the Party, although this contrasts sharply with the Cuban reality, where the government continues to suppress and criminalize open criticism from citizens, activists, and independent journalists.
At another point, he urged Party officials to focus on "priorities" and the environments where they unfold, emphasizing that this environment "is the foundation." Additionally, he stressed that members must take responsibility "for what does not work well" and actively engage in problem-solving, rather than merely adhering to formalities.
The meeting was also led by Roberto Morales Ojeda, the Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee, who highlighted the need for "swift" implementation of the agreements from the XI Plenum of the Central Committee held in December. Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the first secretary of the Party in Santiago de Cuba, and Yoel Pérez García in Guantánamo also participated.
Díaz-Canel's address followed a speech he gave the previous day in Pinar del Río and Artemisa, where he held the Party's membership accountable for the nation's dysfunctions and urged each cell to tackle problems from the ground up amid an economic crisis characterized by blackouts, shortages, and growing social unrest.
The tour, portrayed by the government as an exercise in "strengthening unity," takes place against a backdrop of political fatigue and a loss of confidence within the PCC itself. Repeated calls to the "grassroots" and for a "change in mentality" reflect the Party apparatus's efforts to maintain cohesion in a context of institutional decline, where the rhetoric of unity increasingly echoes as a slogan in search of resonance.
Key Insights into the Communist Party's Unity Challenges
Why does Díaz-Canel believe unity is lacking in the Communist Party?
Díaz-Canel argues that genuine unity is missing because it cannot be achieved through silence or superficial agreements. It must be the outcome of open debate and honest criticism among party members.
What does Díaz-Canel suggest to build unity within the PCC?
Díaz-Canel suggests that unity should be constructed through vigorous discussions, grounded in frankness, honesty, and active participation. Members should focus on addressing issues from the grassroots level.
How does the current political climate in Cuba affect the PCC's unity?
The political climate, marked by repression and criminalization of dissent, challenges the PCC's unity. Despite calls for open debate, the reality of suppression contrasts with these ideals, leading to political fatigue and distrust within the party.