Cuban Outrage Erupts Over Military Anniversary Amid Crisis

This Thursday, Miguel Díaz-Canel led a military event in Havana to mark the 65th anniversary of the Western Army, prompting an outpouring of ridicule, frustration, and anger from Cubans on social media.

The leader shared the event on his Facebook page with a message: "It's an honor to participate in the ceremony for the 65th anniversary of the Western Army, established by Fidel for the defense of the homeland. I join the Army General in recognizing its fighters, steadfast and prepared for any threat. Congratulations to those promoted and decorated."

The post garnered 774 comments, most of them critical and mocking, highlighting the stark contrast between the ceremony's pomp and the severe crisis affecting the population.

The Stark Contrast: Power Outages vs. Ceremony Comfort

The most pointed contrast was the country's dire power situation: while the auditorium was brightly lit and air-conditioned, thousands of Cuban families have endured power outages lasting up to 20 hours daily. "There's electricity and snacks or meals there," one user commented. Another was more blunt: "Words, ceremonies, and diplomas, while my family has been without power for 40 hours, and these guys act like nothing's happening in the municipalities. That's why their charade is ending."

Mockery of the Military Image

The image of the uniformed participants also sparked sarcasm. "Which of these guys can run half a block?" one commentator asked. "They look like avocados ready for guacamole," another wrote. "Just old men and skin," added a third. Many pointed out that none of those present seemed to have gone hungry, unlike the people they're supposed to defend.

Political Exhaustion and Frustration

Other comments directly addressed political fatigue: "They celebrate now because they have little time left. I advise them to surrender or they won't fare well," one user summarized the widespread sentiment.

One user took the opportunity to quote Cuban announcer Laritza Camacho's message to the leaders: "Having and exercising power doesn't make you credible, efficient, or just. Blaming external factors to justify your poor management doesn't either."

The event was attended by the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Army Corps General Álvaro López Miera, and included a formal congratulation from Raúl Castro, now retired. The head of the Western Army, Division General Ernest Feijóo Eiró, declared that his troops "will confront any plans intended to undermine our determination to be free and independent."

U.S.-Cuba Tensions at a Boiling Point

The event took place during the highest tension between Cuba and the United States in decades. Just a day earlier, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited Guantanamo Naval Base, and on the same Thursday, he confirmed from Central Command in Tampa that an operation to capture or eliminate Díaz-Canel "remains an option on the table." The regime responded by calling these statements "completely wrong."

For many Cubans, witnessing the military leadership closing ranks with Díaz-Canel in a well-lit and food-provided auditorium, while the country faces record protests and blackouts, is not a sign of strength but the clearest image of their disconnection from reality. "They destroyed their country and congratulate themselves," one user wrote. "Among criminal satraps, they flatter, applaud, and reward each other," another concluded.

This isn't the first time a military event by the regime has sparked such reactions: in January, an impassioned speech by a young soldier also drew massive ridicule on social media, a pattern that repeats whenever the leadership celebrates while the people suffer.