Pablo Iglesias Claims Mention in U.S. Report on Cuba, But Barely Noted

Former Spanish Deputy Prime Minister and Podemos founder, Pablo Iglesias, released a video on social media this Wednesday expressing that he feels "immensely honored" to be mentioned in the U.S. Department of State report titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism."

What Iglesias left out of his celebratory narrative is that the nearly 100-page document, published on July 20, mentions him only once, on page 48, as part of a collective list of participants in an international convoy, without any specific analysis or prioritization of him as a target.

In the video shared on Facebook, Iglesias crafted a philosophical-political argument to justify his pride: "I've often said that your identity in politics isn't defined by a badge, sticker, or T-shirt." He further added, "If the enemy doesn't even have you on their radar, perhaps you're not who you think you are."

He concludes that his mention in the report is significant: "Being listed in a U.S. government document against Cuba alongside activists, journalists, and global comrades as a threat to U.S. national security for defending the Cuban people is a tremendous honor for me and a reminder that we are on the right side, even if it's the more challenging one."

A Closer Look at the Report

However, the reality of the report is far less grandiose than his rhetoric suggests. The document mentions him as "former Deputy Prime Minister of Spain" on page 48, grouped with a dozen international left-wing figures involved in the March 2026 event known as the Convoy Nuestra América.

The same paragraph also includes streamer Hasan Piker, Amazon Labor Union founder Christian Smalls, a delegation from the Democratic Socialists of America, former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, several Members of the European Parliament, and Isra Hirsi, daughter of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

The report describes the convoy as "a significant meeting point for the international left," mobilizing 120 organizations from 33 countries to transport goods to Cuba in defiance of U.S. sanctions. Iglesias is, in this context, just another name among those fleetingly mentioned.

Iglesias' Support and Criticism

During his time in Havana, the political scientist and former Podemos leader interviewed Miguel Díaz-Canel for Canal Red, an interview the Cuban Communist Party itself promoted.

After meeting with regime representatives, Iglesias downplayed the island's crisis, stating the situation was "difficult, but not as it's being portrayed from outside," comments that sparked protests from Cuban exiles outside Podemos' headquarters in Madrid and criticism from Cubans on and off the island, who saw his words as political backing for the regime.

In May 2026, Iglesias went further, posting on X blaming the U.S. embargo as the primary cause of suffering in Cuba, claiming that "decency" demands defending both the Cuban people and their government, which once again led to backlash from many Cubans.

Cuban Regime's Reaction

The Cuban regime, on its part, dismissed the State Department report: Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called it a "slanderous pamphlet," while Díaz-Canel accused Trump and Rubio of engaging in transnational "neo-McCarthyism."

In his video, Iglesias concluded with a statement encapsulating his stance: "If being a Podemos militant and running Canal Red, if defending Cuban sovereignty, makes me worthy of being on the list of a criminal government like Donald Trump's, I can only say I feel immensely honored."