Cuba's Persistent Crisis: Regime Distracts with Extravagant International Events

As Cubans endure months without electricity to pump water, empty food stores, and prices that even The New York Times labeled "astronomical," Miguel Díaz-Canel inaugurated the 24th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties this Friday in Havana. This two-day forum, taking place at the capital's Convention Palace, brings together over 100 delegates from 48 organizations across various countries.

Scheduled to conclude on Saturday, August 8, the event precedes the centennial of Fidel Castro's birth, set for August 13. The regime presents this as a showcase of international "solidarity and support." The opening speech was delivered by Roberto Morales Ojeda, who encapsulated the meeting's spirit with a call for unity: "Let us dedicate this meeting to forging greater unity among the communist and workers' parties," as reported by the official outlet Trabajadores.

Economic Struggles Overshadowed by Political Shows

Morales Ojeda also took the opportunity to highlight the 176 Economic and Social Transformations recently approved by the government, portraying them as evidence of the Revolution's enduring vitality. However, what he failed to mention is that the Cuban economy shrank by 5% in 2025, accumulating a 15% decline since 2020, according to analysts.

The irony of the timing was not lost on the island's residents. In June, Havana experienced power outages lasting between 20 to 22 hours daily, with even longer durations in other provinces, as the electric deficit frequently surpassed 2,000 MW. Over 60% of the nation has been left without power during peak demand hours in recent months. Meanwhile, at the Convention Palace, foreign delegates enjoyed simultaneous translation, bottled water, and media coverage.

Public Outcry Over State Spending

The reaction to the official publication by the Cuban Presidency was sharp. "Keep wasting the state's scarce resources; stop celebrating so much and address the people's brutal misery," commented one user. Another was more blunt: "In the midst of the worst economic crisis in Cuban history, the PCC assumes the right to squander the little money left in Cuba on meetings that are nothing but political games and pure waste. What a horror!"

One comment, emphasized in uppercase, pointed to something the regime prefers not to measure: "… how interesting it would be to quantify the expenses incurred by the Cuban State in the multiple public acts and international meetings of government interest. This behavior does not align with CUBA'S EXTREME CRISIS." Another user summarized the situation with an unanswered question: "And yet, in the middle of an energy crisis, we celebrate? I don't understand anything."

Contrasting Realities: Ideological Tourism vs. Declining Visitor Numbers

The pattern is clear. The regime's official event calendar for 2026 includes more than 280 institutional activities. In May, an International Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba attracted 766 delegates from 152 organizations in 36 countries. In June, the 22nd Congress of the Cuban Workers' Central took place with "maximum austerity" — albeit with 759 delegates attending both in person and virtually. From August 10 to 13, the International Colloquium "Fidel: Legacy and Future" is scheduled at the same Convention Palace.

This relentless ideological tourism starkly contrasts with the collapse of actual tourism: Cuba received 112,000 fewer visitors in 2026 compared to the previous year, marking the sharpest sector decline since 2002. While the regime imports delegates from communist parties worldwide, conventional tourists continue to flee the island.

One internet user captured the desperation succinctly: "We need power to get water in La Güinera; there's never power, we never have power." This statement, posted under the official announcement of the meeting, speaks volumes about the state of Cuba in 2026, more than any speech delivered at the Convention Palace this Friday.