Communist Party Secretary in Las Tunas Ousted After Less Than a Year

Walter Simón Noris, the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) secretary in Las Tunas province, has been removed from his position after serving for less than a year. The official party organ announced the decision on Tuesday but did not provide specific reasons for his dismissal. His replacement is a seasoned official with prior experience as a Communist Party secretary at the municipal level in Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus, and Isla de la Juventud.

The PCC's Central Committee made the decision, which was relayed during a meeting with local leaders. Osbel Lorenzo Rodríguez, who was serving as the First Secretary of the Municipal Committee in Isla de la Juventud, will succeed Simón Noris. This dismissal adds to a series of abrupt changes in the political leadership of the province. Back in October 2024, Governor Jaime Ernesto Chiang Vega and Vice-Governor Ernesto Luis Cruz Reyes were also removed for "violations in the exercise of their responsibilities," although official reports, as usual, did not specify the exact reasons.

Simón Noris, 55, holds a degree in Physical Culture and took over the leadership of the PCC in Las Tunas in April 2024, replacing Manuel René Pérez Gallego, who had held the position since June 2019. Before this appointment, Simón Noris was part of the executive bureau of the Provincial Party Committee in Camagüey, boasting 30 years of political experience. His career includes leadership roles within the Union of Young Communists (UJC) in Nuevitas, as the second secretary of the UJC in Camagüey, and as the first secretary of the Party in the municipalities of Guáimaro and Camagüey.

Challenges Faced During Tenure

During his short tenure in Las Tunas, Simón Noris encountered numerous challenges. In May 2024, just a month into his term, he publicly criticized local leaders for frequent failures in key sectors like agriculture, stating that "everything is being neglected" in the province. Moreover, in March 2025, he voiced concerns over rising crime rates, with reports of over 300 offenses in a single week, significantly impacting livestock and state entities.

Lorenzo Rodríguez, his successor, holds a degree in Education and a Master's in Management. He has occupied various roles within the Cuban party structure. In March 2022, during an extraordinary plenary session of the Provincial PCC Committee in Sancti Spíritus, his transfer was approved to oversee the political-ideological activities of the Provincial Bureau, a role he held until December of that year. Later, he was relieved of his duties in the Provincial Bureau to take on new responsibilities within the organization, having previously served as the first secretary in the municipal party committees of Trinidad and Sancti Spíritus.

In January 2023, Lorenzo Rodríguez was appointed first secretary of the PCC Municipal Committee in Isla de la Juventud, replacing Zunilda García Garcés. Rafael Ernesto Licea Mojena, previously the president of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power in the same area, took over his position in Isla de la Juventud. This series of dismissals highlights significant instability in the political leadership of Las Tunas, potentially affecting the continuity and effectiveness of policies implemented in the region.

The lack of transparency regarding the reasons for these changes raises uncertainty and questions about the provincial leadership's ability to tackle the socio-economic challenges facing the population.