As eight years have passed since the death of dictator Fidel Castro, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel seized the opportunity to mark the anniversary with a display of what Cuban regime bureaucrats do best: propaganda and indoctrination. As the so-called "leader of continuity" and first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Díaz-Canel used social media to pay homage to Castro, filling his posts with empty slogans and phrases, accompanied by a video from a recent meeting with Cuban children at the Palace.
"No one can say he is not here, for that would be a lie. #FidelLivesAmongUs. Even among children born after his passing. He, like Martí, is in every just idea and every work of the Revolution. And he is in the heart of the Cuban people," Díaz-Canel declared on X (formerly Twitter).
Assuming the role of a spiritual medium, Díaz-Canel set aside the concerns surrounding his "Government Management System based on Science and Innovation" to indulge in rituals aimed at explaining to innocent minds the ominous legacy of Castro in the nation's history and the path to perpetuate his influence.
The Essence of "Continuity"
"I believe the continuity of Fidel is not just mine; it belongs to all of us. It is mine, it is shared by all the comrades in positions of responsibility today, it is the people's, and it is yours," Díaz-Canel told the young pioneers who visited him, curious about what it meant to be "continuity."
With tears in his eyes, Díaz-Canel shared the first incantation to achieve this higher state of malevolence: "When we had to reluctantly acknowledge the physical absence of Fidel, what did we say then and continue to say now? 'I am Fidel!' Therefore, each one of us is Fidel; each of us has that commitment, each of us embodies that continuous spirit."
Embracing the Legacy
However, once the spirit is invoked, a second step must be taken to allow it to control our actions and thoughts. "To be truly consistent and honest with our conviction of being Fidel, the first thing is to study and understand Fidel's thinking—what Fidel wanted for Cuba, how he envisioned it, what he did for Cuba, and how he defended Cuba," the disciple of fidelism noted.
After answering these questions, the doors to idolatry must be opened, and one must "be faithful to that legacy, to that thought." According to Díaz-Canel, it is not advisable to "adopt it as dogma," but rather to "enrich that thought, adapt it to current conditions, and pass it on to new generations."
The influence of his mentor is evident in his words. The "push" from Raúl Castro, like a laying on of hands, revealed to him that one must be Fidel, "but not too much, mate!"
Learning from the Past
"For instance, when faced with complex situations, the first thing I always think is what would Fidel do in a moment like this. And so, I go to study, to search in Fidel’s books, speeches, and past actions," explained the scholar of a sorcerer who turned gold into lead.
According to the reciter appointed by Raúl to study—from the apocryphal "History Will Absolve Me" speech to the "Moringa Sutra"—through this discipline, one can learn "what can be done under current conditions, what needs updating, and what should be done differently."
"One of the things Fidel asked of us in his concept of revolution is to change what needs to be changed," concluded the "leader of continuity," a figure who, without slogans and propaganda, would fall silent, rendered mute and foolish.