In a laughable display of leadership, the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Santiago de Cuba, Beatriz Johnson, joined sweet potato planting last Sunday during a recent tour of the municipality of Palma Soriano, a moment shared on social media as an "example to follow."
The governor of Santiago de Cuba, Manuel Falcón, shared a photo on Facebook this Tuesday showing Johnson "bending her back" in a furrow at El Sitio, participating in the sweet potato planting alongside other farmers, who were notably absent from the photograph. "We have worked together for over 12 years, and I can attest that she has an unbreakable spirit and no task is too arduous for a woman like her," Falcón said, emphasizing that the hardworking PCC secretary has been involved in sugarcane harvesting, coffee picking, and voluntary work since childhood.
According to the governor, Johnson, "with her usual humility, put her hands in the soil," highlighting the values of the leader who, not long ago, moved to one of the few areas in Santiago de Cuba that does not suffer from power outages or water supply issues, located near the Plaza de la Revolución.
However, last March, Johnson, who personally experiences the problems faced by the population of Santiago de Cuba, urged people to "remain calm" in the face of the water supply crisis. The leader was captured in a work meeting requesting that people be informed about how everyone would get "a little bit of water" within a week.
During that same month, amid protests in Santiago de Cuba, Johnson provided a series of explanations to the public, which she claimed were understood by the citizens. Nonetheless, a few hours later, the demonstrations resumed.
In an appearance on the officialist channel TurquinoTeVe, the leader admitted, "We cannot deny that it was a very tense situation," but immediately tried to downplay the magnitude of the protest: "But as always, the people understood because they saw the highest authorities of this province, as always, facing the problems."
The "response of Cuban leaders" to the protests that shook Santiago de Cuba last March sparked a wave of memes that added to the social criticism of the crisis management in Cuba. Johnson led this mix of humor and protest, which demonstrated the broad support and popularity she enjoys among the people.
Key Questions about Beatriz Johnson's Leadership in Santiago de Cuba
Here are some relevant questions and answers regarding Beatriz Johnson's leadership and the recent events in Santiago de Cuba.
What recent event did Beatriz Johnson participate in?
Beatriz Johnson recently participated in sweet potato planting in the municipality of Palma Soriano, Santiago de Cuba.
How did the public react to Johnson's explanations during the March protests?
While Johnson claimed that the public understood her explanations, the protests resumed shortly after her statements.
What did Manuel Falcón say about Beatriz Johnson's work ethic?
Manuel Falcón praised Johnson's unbreakable spirit and noted that no task is too difficult for her, highlighting her long history of hard work.