Three Cuban governors leave their posts in one week, and the regime offers different reasons for each replacement

Miguel Díaz-Canel points out the provinces where governors have been replaced: Camagüey, Las Tunas, and Guantánamo. (Infobae illustrative image) Cuba's Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced this Thursday the removal of Alis Azahares Torreblanca as governor of Guantánamo for health reasons, according to state media on the island. Azahares Torreblanca's departure marks the third replacement of a provincial governor announced this week by the Cuban regime. The decision comes as the dictatorship evaluates the implementation of the 176 economic and social reforms approved in June, amid an economic crisis. The official newspaper Granma reported that Cuban dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel approved the official's departure; she had held the position for more than 3 years. Marrero highlighted her "dedication to work" and her commitment at the head of the provincial administration, with special mention of her role after the impact of weather events in that eastern Cuban territory. The Cuban regime has replaced several governors in recent days. File photoThe current vice governor, Carlos Raúl Martínez Turro, will temporarily replace Azahares Torreblanca. The appointment will remain in effect until a new governor is elected, according to Cuban law. The province of Guantánamo, located at the eastern tip of Cuba, was the scene this Thursday of a meeting of the Council of the Popular Power headed by Marrero. That meeting was part of a round of evaluations on the implementation of the measures announced by the regime in June. According to information released by the official press, Guantánamo became the fifth province in which the regime examined the progress of the reforms. The program contemplates changes aimed at greater decentralization and liberalization of sectors of the economy, although authorities did not release details in this announcement about concrete progress or results of implementation in the territory. The 176 economic and social reforms were approved amid a scenario marked by shortages of basic goods, inflation, energy supply problems, and the deterioration of Cubans' purchasing power. The regime has presented these measures as part of its response to the difficulties the island is going through. FILE PHOTO: Cuba's dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel speaks during a meeting with members of the Nuestra América convoy, which arrived on the island with humanitarian aid, at the Palacio de Convenciones in Havana, Cuba, on March 20, 2026. Adalberto Roque/Pool via REUTERSThe replacement in Guantánamo occurred shortly after two other similar announcements in provinces in the east of the island. On Wednesday, the departure of Yelenys Tornet Menéndez, governor of Las Tunas, was announced; she requested to leave the post due to "family and personal limitations" that, according to the official explanation, prevented her from continuing her duties. Marrero then acknowledged Tornet Menéndez's "attitude and dedication" since she assumed the responsibility as governor. State media did not specify who will temporarily lead Las Tunas or when the process to designate her successor will be called. The first change of the week occurred on Tuesday in Camagüey, where Governor Jorge Enrique Sutil Sarabia submitted his resignation. In that case, the official statement attributed the decision to "errors committed in the performance of his duties," which were considered incompatible with the responsibility of the position. State media reported that Sutil Sarabia requested his resignation after acknowledging those errors. It was not detailed what conduct or decisions motivated his departure, nor whether the case will lead to any administrative or judicial investigation. Three provincial governors left their posts within a week, although the official reasons were different in each case. While the departure of the governor of Guantánamo was linked to health problems, that of Las Tunas was attributed to personal and family reasons, and that of Camagüey to errors in the exercise of his duties.