The Cuban government has announced the removal of Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella from his position as the first deputy prime minister of Cuba, a role he had held since 2021. The brief official statement cited "errors in the performance of his duties" as the reason for his dismissal but provided no further details on the specifics of these errors.
The official communiqué stated that "the Council of State, upon the proposal of the President of the Republic and with prior approval of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba," has decided to make three personnel changes. Alongside Perdomo's dismissal, Eduardo Martínez Díaz, aged 56, was appointed as the new first deputy prime minister. Martínez Díaz previously served as the head of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA) since February.
The New Leadership at CITMA
Armando Rodríguez Batista, 47, has been named the new minister of CITMA. Prior to this appointment, he served as a vice minister within the same department. The official note highlighted Rodríguez Batista's extensive experience, stating that he is a radio-chemical engineer with a Doctorate in Sciences. He has worked in the ministry for over 20 years, moving through various roles from science and technology specialist to director of Science, Technology, and Innovation. He is also a member of the technical team of the National Innovation Council.
Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella's Downfall
Despite not being a particularly public figure, Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella, at 52, was among the younger faces in the Cuban government, possessing significant experience at the highest executive levels. An engineer in Electronics and Telecommunications, Perdomo served as the Minister of Communications from July 2018 until April 2021, when he was elevated to the deputy prime minister position. He also held the role of a deputy in the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP) representing Camagüey and was a member of the Central Committee of the PCC.
The agency Efe notes that the term "errors in the performance of his duties" has been previously used by Cuban officials to suggest potential abuses of power or corruption, although it remains a vague term without any legal definition.
A Pattern of High-Level Dismissals
The removal of Perdomo Di-Lella is the latest in a series of over half a dozen dismissals this year involving senior positions within both the Cuban government and the Communist Party of Cuba. Notably, the dismissal of the Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil, in February drew significant attention. Gil was accused of corruption a month after his removal. The subsequent judicial investigation into Gil was one of the most significant in Cuba in years, with the presidential statement at the time mentioning "serious errors" and asserting that neither the PCC nor the government would ever tolerate "the proliferation of corruption, simulation, and insensitivity."
Among the dismissals announced this year, "errors" were cited in the cases of Gil and two provincial governors.