Díaz-Canel Responds to Those Who Label Cuba a Failed State

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, criticized those who, in the midst of the recovery from Hurricane Melissa, have labeled the Cuban Revolution a failed state.

Presiding over a session of the National Defense Council, Díaz-Canel responded to what he described as a campaign seeking to discredit the country's efforts and disguise the criminal effects of the U.S. blockade on the Cuban economy and daily life as the incapacity of the revolutionary state.

"We then ask them if a failed state could confront a hurricane of Melissa's characteristics and overcome the challenge of protecting the lives of its people at a very critical time for the economy," he said during the meeting, which was broadcast live from the Palace of the Revolution.

He argued that critics overlook a fundamental fact: "What the haters do not know is that when that phrase is used, they forget that in Cuba, the state is all of us." He further clarified that the social fabric created by the Revolution in neighborhoods and communities is more powerful than a common state. "The power of the people, that is real power, and in these days we have seen that slogan turned into facts."

The President acknowledged the ongoing challenges, stating that a week later, the wounds left by Melissa continue to pose a challenge, and that the days pass slowly for those still waiting for the restoration of electricity, water, food, and essential building materials.

However, he offered a firm reassurance: "But we reiterate to all, we assure them, that no one will be left abandoned to their fate; the Revolution is alive, it will always be alive, and therefore, its children will always be safe."

Díaz-Canel expressed that what he witnessed in the most affected zones was doubly impressive—both for the destruction and for the resilient nobility of what he called an "invincible" people. While some may attribute this to a resistant national character, he asserted that something more powerful is at play: "the unity of the nation in the face of dangers and the humanist work of the Revolution."

He also cautioned that due to the magnitude and depth of the damage in the eastern region, the recovery process will be prolonged.

During the session, several ministers and heads of provincial defense councils from the eastern territories reported on the sector-specific damages and the recovery actions undertaken. They thanked the country's leadership for its support and highlighted the positive attitude of the population, even among those with severe losses.