Cuban Commentary Defends Regime Amid U.S. Relations
This week, the Cuban Communist Party’s television network aired a commentary suggesting that the continued dominance of the Castro regime is crucial for “the national security of the United States.” It claimed that any efforts to remove this regime could lead to “instability,” while conveniently ignoring the significant failures within Cuba’s health, energy, education, and political sectors, as well as the ongoing protests against the government.
Jorge Legañoa, a senior propagandist, warned Cubans not to take the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan dictator aligned with Cuba, as a signal that communism in Cuba might be ending. He echoed a threatening phrase popularized by the Venezuelan government after Maduro’s downfall: “Suspicion is treason.”
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into custody during a U.S. military-supported operation in Caracas. They are facing serious charges linked to Maduro’s connections with drug trafficking organizations, especially tied to the Venezuelan military known as the Cartel de los Soles.
The charges include “narco-terrorism conspiracy,” among others, and the couple is set to face trial in New York while currently being held in Brooklyn.
An independent journalist, Mag Jorge Castro, highlighted the Communist Party’s comments targeting the U.S. on social media after the broadcast on Canal Caribe.
“Does that White House really want an unstable Cuba just 90 miles away?” Legañoa queried, suggesting that Cuba’s current environment is “stable”—a claim many would likely dispute.
“Our country secures our national safety and will defend our waters, even if the U.S. chooses to overlook that,” he added. He denied that Cuba is a failed state or dictatorship, attributing the challenges faced to the external narrative about economic blockades, which he argued was used to excuse the government’s inefficiencies.
He acknowledged domestic issues needing urgent resolution but failed to specify them, instead emphasizing, “Let’s not be deceived. They’re trying to undermine our faith in the revolution.” He concluded by stressing that the Castro regime, implicated in various hostilities against U.S. citizens, somehow represents stability.
Leganóa’s remarks hinted at potential repercussions for Cubans if they considered increasing their protests in light of developments in Venezuela, reiterating that the fate of the country should be left to its people, suggesting that “there is only one nation, and only one serves it.”
Additionally, he insinuated that efforts to weaken the Communist Party could result in indiscriminate violence against innocent Cubans. He stated, “The bomb has no name, it does not discriminate,” emphasizing the need for unity during challenging times.
The commentary also made unsupported accusations against Secretary Rubio, labeling him “Narco Rubio,” and dismissed the existence of the Sunshine Cartel despite significant evidence to the contrary.
Legañoa, a long-time advocate for the Communist Party and former analyst for its Central Committee, recently became the head of the propaganda outlet Prensa Latina.
Relations between Cuba and Venezuela have strengthened since Maduro came into power in 2013, with Rubio noting that establishing a functional democracy in Venezuela would be complicated due to its reliance on Cuba. He commented on the internal security forces controlling the country, attributing their power directly to Cuban influence.
This observation appears to be corroborated by the Cuban government’s acknowledgment this week that a significant number of those who died during the operation to apprehend Maduro were affiliated with Castro’s security forces.
