Who is Díaz-Canel grooming for a possible promotion? Jaime Gómez Triana, a shadowy cultural commissar
14ymedio, Yunior García Aguilera, Madrid, 27 July2024 — In Díaz-Canel’s recent closing address to the rubber-stamp National Assembly, the appointed president referred to a statement that was totally unrelated the rest of his speech. The focus of the address was supposed to be the economy. Therefore, one might logically have expected him to reference something an economist had said, or to mention a comment by an entrepreneur he had casually met on one of his endless walk-abouts around the island.
But no. He only mentioned the heroes of these supposed “success stories” in passing, as if to fulfill an obligation or justify the enormous expense of these junkets. It seems not a single one of their opinions was worth mentioning. Just blurting out their names, to elicit that primitive feeling of self-satisfaction: “Wow, the president talked about me. That’s me, the guy from the Santa Rosa estate.”
However, the person he did mention — by both first and last name, quoting from a long speech that the person had given — was a bland, virtually unknown figure who has been rising through the ranks of the powerful groups that promote cultural policies in Cuba. Aware that he had gone completely off-topic, Díaz-Canel justified this digression with a question. “Why do I choose to mention this, which seems so far removed from the harsh economic reality that we are facing right now?” He answered his own question with the usual refrain: That if Fidel, Raúl, Che, etc. . . That if socialist society, etc. . .
The herd of delegates applauded out of habit, as usual. But the two or three people whose suspicions can still be aroused immediately began adding things up and whispering in the corridors. The meeting seemed like the prelude to an imminent appointment. It was a sign of favor, the equivalent of when the alpha male in a troop of chimpanzees chooses another primate to pick the fleas off his back.
So who the hell was Díaz-Canel referencing with his random quote? Who is he grooming for a possible promotion? Jaime Gómez Triana. And who is that? readers may ask. Let’s take it step by step.
Our grandparents also had to put up with attacks on rock and roll and with Fidel Castro’s critiques of certain behaviors that he described as “Elvis Presley-ish”
Jaime’s thoughts are nothing new. They are part of a sermon on “cultural colonization” that former culture minister Abel Prieto broods over, day in and day out, hoping to be invited to international events alongside Ignacio Ramonet and Atilio Borón. It is a cyclical fight over whatever work a particular generation finds to be pseudo-cultural, banal or degrading.
That same rhetoric (and Jaime should know this because he is a playwright) was used against Cuba’s “teatro bufo” back in 19th century, when it was accused of being immoral, superficial, vulgar and unscripted.
Our grandparents also had to put up with attacks on rock and roll and with Fidel Castro’s critiques of certain behaviors that he described as “Elvis Presley-ish.” Our parents witnessed the crusade against “timba” in the 1990s, when very uptight comrades were horrified by its vulgarity. Jaime’s take is hardly original. It is the same argument that was used to justify the infamous Decree 349, which prohibits artists from performing in public without prior approval from the Ministry of Culture.
Jaime is clearly a smart guy. He has always stayed in the background, whispering in the ear of some deputy official. He knows he is not very attractive and is aware that he has a speech impediment which causes him to mispronounce words. However, given the current crisis surrounding the cultural commissars, it seems that he has been convinced to take on a much more visible role.
His colleagues do not remember him as a person with ideas or as someone remotely close to those in power. During his theater phase, he was quite close to Victor Varela and Nelda Castillo, who were known for speeches that were openly hostile towards the regime. But then the lad accepted a post as vice-president of the Saíz Brothers Association and sold his soul to the devil. Okay, maybe not the devil himself . . He sold it to Luis Morlote, a kind of junior devil. Thus, the lanky, blond Jaime and the standard-bearer of the purported “cultural avant-garde” began his ambitious ascent up the career ladder.
Power struggles in the cultural sector have been notoriously scandalous during these decades of dictatorship
Power struggles in the cultural sector have been notoriously scandalous during these decades of dictatorship. Iroel Sánchez was perhaps the last great leader of this cult, placing his hardline fanatics in strategic positions, dominating the media and trying to eliminate any rival in his quest for total control of the cultural sphere. But Iroel is dead and his followers’ days are numbered.
Abel Prieto is the consigliere who has survived the longest in the cultural mafia. He may have been the person most frightened by the mention of Gómez Triana during Díaz-Canel’s closing speech, especially since Jaime is now vice-president of Casa de la Americas. The former culture minister recently posted a homophobic tweet on X that may have made him new enemies among senior government advisers. They may want to “do a Biden” and convince him to step aside for reasons of age and mental health.
What is clear is that Cuba’s cultural map is being redrawn. The gangs seriously hate each other and are having fights to the death. No one should be surprised if, in the coming days, resignations and replacements are announced. The fact that Díaz-Canel mentioned Jaime at a completely unrelated event is not a coincidence. Team Morlote is on a roll and that suggests heads will roll.
____________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
