Musician and lawmaker Arnaldo Rodríguez, known for his alignment with the Cuban government, recently described Morón as a "cultured, educated, loving" city filled with patriotism and courage. This statement has been perceived by many Cubans as an attempt to erase the memory of recent protests that shook the city only a few weeks ago.
The video, shared on the Facebook page of the Piña Colada Festival 2026, captures the Second Edition of the Eagle of the Trocha: History, Culture, and Traditions, part of the Piña Colada XXIII Festival, which kicked off on April 2 in Ciego de Ávila.
From the stage, Rodríguez declared, "What a joy to showcase on all social media the image of a cultured, educated city filled with love, patriotism, and bravery! Cheers to the people of Morón!" as the audience applauded and danced around him.
His remarks directly challenge the events of March 13, when a massive protest erupted in Morón after over 26 hours of continuous power outages, food shortages, and a general decline in living conditions.
During that night, demonstrators stormed the local headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), set furniture and Castroist symbols ablaze in the streets, and chanted slogans such as "Freedom!" and "Homeland and Life."
A young man was shot and required surgery to remove the bullet, and at least 14 individuals were detained, including 16-year-old Jonathan David Muir Burgos, whose habeas corpus was denied on March 25.
Rodríguez did not remain silent at that time. On March 16, he labeled the protesters as "antisocials" and "riffraff" on social media, echoing the sentiments of Ciego de Ávila’s PCC first secretary, Julio Góngora Casanova, who called them "counter-revolutionary elements," and Con Filo state program spokesperson Michel Torres Corona, who referred to them as "beasts that insult and destroy."
Now, using the festival as a platform, the musician and Morón's representative since 2023 seeks to portray the city as festive and loyal, even as Ciego de Ávila endures power outages lasting up to 21 hours a day and has been in a "maximum outage condition" since March 16.
The contradiction was not lost on viewers, with numerous harsh comments accompanying the video: "That's what Russian oil is for, to entertain the people and divert attention from the harsh reality," one user noted.
Others were equally blunt: "Celebrate misery"; "Without water and electricity"; "What a farce, no power and with hunger, I can't believe it" and "That singer must have been promoted to colonel by now."
Rodríguez's strategy is part of the regime's narrative control approach deployed after the protests, which involved direct repression, delegitimizing the protesters, and holding "reaffirmation" events like the one organized in front of Morón's rooster on March 16.
Meanwhile, leader Miguel Díaz-Canel threatened that "there will be no impunity for vandalism and violence" and blamed the U.S. embargo for the energy crisis.
Understanding the Recent Protests in Morón
What sparked the protests in Morón?
The protests in Morón were triggered by extended power outages lasting over 26 hours, food shortages, and overall deteriorating living conditions.
How did Arnaldo Rodríguez describe the protesters?
Arnaldo Rodríguez referred to the protesters as "antisocials" and "riffraff" in alignment with the views of other government officials.
What actions did the protesters take during the March 13 demonstrations?
Protesters stormed the local Communist Party headquarters, burned furniture and symbols, and chanted slogans demanding freedom and change.