During a commemorative event in Pinar del Río marking the 73rd anniversary of the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks assaults, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel launched a verbal attack against Washington. He asserted that in the United States, protesting against state policies—which he claims impoverish the majority while enriching the powerful elite—is prohibited.
Díaz-Canel's remarks were a direct response to the report titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," unveiled on July 20 by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The report accuses the Cuban regime of backing radical leftist movements in the U.S. for over sixty years.
"They have declared a global war against leftist movements and branded Cuba as the capital of 21st-century communism," Díaz-Canel stated, echoing the document's title. He argued that Washington uses Cuba as a "scapegoat" to divert attention from its own internal issues.
"Accusing Cuba is not just about finding a scapegoat or an external agent; it's about finding someone to blame for the unrest among the sectors most affected by an economy that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer to unsustainable limits," he declared.
Díaz-Canel further accused the U.S. administration of "criminalizing protests without analyzing their causes" and opportunistically seeking a new excuse to maintain its "genocidal policy against Cuba," which he claims is condemned globally.
The speech comes amid heightened bilateral tensions. Since January, Washington has imposed over 240 new sanctions against Cuban regime officials and institutions.
Rubio's report also disclosed a "National Rapid Response Plan" devised by a coalition of more than 60 Cuba-related organizations to mobilize protests on U.S. soil within 24 hours of any military action against the island.
Díaz-Canel's rhetoric on protest repression in the U.S. has a basis in reality, which he uses to deflect attention from internal repression in Cuba. Amnesty International documented the arrest of at least 3,100 students for demonstrations at U.S. universities in 2024, and Trump announced in June 2025 the criminalization of wearing masks during protests.
However, the contrast with Cuba is stark, as the regime continues to imprison hundreds of political prisoners for their participation in the July 11, 2021 protests and systematically suppresses any form of dissent.
In another segment of his speech, Díaz-Canel directly challenged Washington by declaring that "our economic, political, and social decisions are and will remain ours."
The event in Pinar del Río took place amid a severe energy crisis, characterized by prolonged blackouts and widespread scarcity, which starkly contrasts with the official propaganda promoted during the occasion.
Díaz-Canel concluded this portion of his address with a call that intertwines an appeal to American civil society with a defense of the regime. "Let Cuba live in peace and also the noblest part of the American people, who have historically fought for the human rights of other peoples without seeking recognition and often facing persecution, imprisonment, and life-threatening risks. Cuba poses no threat to the United States or any other country on earth," he emphasized.
Understanding the Tensions Between Cuba and the U.S.
What did Díaz-Canel accuse the U.S. of?
Díaz-Canel accused the U.S. of using Cuba as a scapegoat to distract from its internal issues and criminalizing protests without addressing their causes.
What report did Marco Rubio release?
Marco Rubio released a report titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," accusing the Cuban regime of supporting radical leftist movements in the U.S. for over six decades.
How does Díaz-Canel describe the U.S. economic policy?
Díaz-Canel claims that U.S. economic policies impoverish the majority while obscenely enriching the elite.