As the old year draws to a close in Cuba, citizens are met with the customary end-of-year address from the country's leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel. Since taking office in 2018, Díaz-Canel has consistently utilized this moment to deliver messages filled with optimism and promises of a brighter future to the Cuban people. Yet, these assurances frequently clash with a stark reality marked by economic turmoil, shortages, and mass emigration.
In his 2020 speech, Díaz-Canel declared that it was the year to "remove all obstacles and unleash the productive forces" to revive the economy. By 2021, he referred to the year as one of "losses and tough lessons, but also victories," encouraging citizens to embrace 2022 with "optimism and joy" and the need for collective effort in building a better future. Many Cubans, however, felt this message was disconnected from the scarcity and repression they faced.
The following year, Díaz-Canel described 2022 as one of the "most challenging" in the nation's history, warning of an even tougher 2023. Despite this, he urged Cubans to tackle these challenges with passion and determination, stressing unity and creative resilience. As 2023 came to an end, Díaz-Canel continued with similar rhetoric, blaming the U.S. embargo for current hardships and repeating optimistic slogans like those of previous years. Yet, the everyday reality, dominated by scarcity and economic strife, was at odds with his words.
Throughout 2024, Díaz-Canel has acknowledged the year's harshness, admitting that "we practically live day to day" and advocating for "creative resistance" without offering concrete solutions for the structural economic issues. In December 2024, during the closing of the National Assembly of People's Power, he praised Cubans as heroes "fighting without tears," sidestepping his government's role in the crisis while ignoring the people's plight.
Just hours before the year ended, Díaz-Canel shared a congratulatory message steeped in his typical "revolutionary" rhetoric, detached from Cubans' grim reality. On social media platform X, he addressed the citizens as "compatriots," lauded their supposed "heroism," and claimed they "triumphed" in 2024—a year characterized by disastrous economic indicators that underscore the deepening crisis suffocating Cuba and its people.
The disconnect between Díaz-Canel's speeches and the lived experiences of Cubans has led to growing social frustration. It seems apparent that unless profound changes occur in the island's economic and political landscape, the leader's words will continue to be perceived as part of a cycle of unfulfilled expectations that fail to translate into genuine prosperity for the people.
Understanding the Impact of Díaz-Canel's End-of-Year Speeches
What is the main theme of Díaz-Canel's end-of-year speeches?
Díaz-Canel's speeches often convey messages of optimism and promises for a better future, despite the ongoing economic struggle and hardships faced by the Cuban people.
How do Cubans generally react to Díaz-Canel's speeches?
Many Cubans feel that the speeches are disconnected from their reality, leading to increased frustration as the promises often do not align with their lived experiences of scarcity and repression.
Has Díaz-Canel offered any solutions to Cuba's economic issues in his speeches?
While Díaz-Canel has spoken about "creative resistance," he has not provided concrete solutions to address the structural economic problems facing the nation.