Speech delivered by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, at the closing of the XXIV International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, at the Palace of Conventions, on August 8, 2026, “Centenary Year of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.
”(Shorthand Versions – Presidency of the Republic)
Comrades and companions of the communist and workers' parties of the world;
Dear comrade Kemal Okuyan;
Sisters and brothers from all latitudes who honor us today with your presence in this rebel capital:
It is an honor to have held this meeting within the context of the Centenary of Fidel, who, with his indisputable legacy, calls us to face the enormous challenges and threats of this highly convulsive and menacing present that we have had to live through.
Cuba, an island of dignity and historical resistance against the empire, and today also against fascism, receives you with open hearts and thanks you for your bravery and determination to arrive here, amidst so many pressures, blackmail, and lies.
At the previous gathering in Havana, in October 2022, representatives of the communist and workers' parties from more than 60 countries who met at that time, agreed to warn about the dangerous situation humanity was facing then. Almost four years later, we can reaffirm, without fear of doubt, that the world is going through one of its most uncertain and dangerous moments.
We are living through a stage of extreme intensification of the contradictions of capitalism: excessive concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, inequities in its distribution, environmental destruction, and wars for markets, resources, and zones of influence.
Marxist and Leninist analysis remains fully relevant in expressing that these crises are not accidents, but the result of the laws of the development of monopoly and imperialist capitalism.
Capitalism, devoured by its own contradictions, has unleashed a perfect storm: wars of aggression in Eastern Europe and the Middle East; open-air genocide in Gaza; a climate crisis that is no longer a warning, but a reality; structural hunger that devours millions, and an external debt that the peoples of the South will never be able to pay, because it was designed to enslave us, not to develop us.
In this scenario, the resurgence of fascism sends us a powerful warning signal. Fidel warned us of this years ago—how its face was transforming, yet its essence remained. Today, we denounce the reinstatement of fascist regimes in the world.
Nationalism, hegemony, supremacy, and racial discrimination; xenophobia, population displacements, and exterminations; wars of conquest for territories and natural resources; sanctions that fall upon millions of human beings, and the proscription of ideologies and civil liberties, are unmistakable features of this current fascism and its Hitlerite predecessor.
The genocide in Gaza and its shameful public broadcasting are not enough for them; they are now attempting to recreate it in Cuba through an aggressive and criminal policy, one that fluctuates in its rhetoric but intensifies its actions without disguise.
The total asphyxiation to which we are subjected constitutes a collective punishment that seeks—through the deprivation of the most basic resources and services necessary for survival—to promote fatigue, discouragement, and social fracture, with the ultimate goal of destroying the Cuban socialist project.
Those who sádically devise an energy siege against an entire nation cannot be called anything less than criminals and fascists, leaving behind a humanitarian toll of alarming proportions—depriving Cuban children of life at birth, reducing the life expectancy of oncology patients, and denying our people access to medicines, food, electricity, water, transportation, and many other resources essential for a full life.
I will provide you with some data regarding the impacts of the blockade on Cuban society.
Particularly in the energy sector: through enormous effort, we had recovered more than 1,400 megawatts of power for electricity generation across a group of distributed generation islands in recent years. These plants are currently not generating energy due to a lack of fuel; they run on diesel and fuel oil. If we had those 1,400 megawatts available every day, the bothersome blackouts in Cuba would only last three hours, rather than the twenty or more hours our people suffer today.
In healthcare—a subject so sensitive, and in which you know all the potential of our universal and free healthcare system, with opportunities for all, and with things we know how to do: there are 98,500 patients on surgical waiting lists and, among them, 12,000 children; operations that we are capable of performing in Cuba, but for which we lack the resources and the energy to power our operating rooms.
There are 34,000 pregnant women for whom we cannot perform sufficient prenatal ultrasounds during that stage of pregnancy.
There are 67,000 infants under one year of age who have been born in these months without an updated immunization schedule, even though vaccination in Cuba and our immunization system were always up to date.
There are 117,000 adults and 1,200 children who are cancer patients and do not have adequate treatments, forcing us to resort to secondary or tertiary formulas.
There are 16,000 patients facing difficulties with the radiotherapy services they need, 12,400 in chemotherapy, and 3,000 in hemodialysis.
Only 30% of the basic medication list is available, even though we are capable of producing all of our own medicines.
The technical availability coefficient of ambulances has reached only 22%. Sanitary transport has collapsed.
It is impossible to purchase cobalt-60 sources for oncology treatments, and there are delays in licenses to release medical goods at ports, compounded by the refusal of international shipping companies that have been pressured by American imperialism not to bring the goods we need to Cuba.
And as if this were not enough, we had always maintained infant mortality rates between four and five, which are first-world mortality rates; however, in recent years, this rate has doubled, and it currently stands at more than 9.8.
In this millimetrically calculated genocide, wherever any relief is glimpsed or sought, the watchdogs of this ignominious policy will be there, to tighten the noose of asphyxiation once more, if that were even possible.
Their plans only conceive of the Cuban people as an instrument—an agonizing society that turns against the Government to achieve their sinister purposes of overthrowing the Revolution. This is not our figment; it has been written and conceived for over sixty years by the Department of State.
All of this that I have described constitutes flagrant violations of international norms and human rights, condemned by the vast majority of the international community, as has recently occurred at the United Nations, where 136 nations backed Cuba in its just denunciation.
However, a world based on laws and norms for peaceful and civilized coexistence among States has disappeared, leaving only the will of the strongest and most powerful to prevail to the detriment of the poorest nations.
We are living through the most dangerous time since the October Crisis; alongside economic warfare, Cuba is being subjected to a high-intensity unconventional war through digital subversion, the financing of internal mercenaries, media discredit campaigns, and networks of influence that attempt to dress up what is blatant intervention as "humanitarian aid.
"In this sense, we are not at all surprised by recent revelations from major U.S. media outlets regarding an increase in CIA operations in Cuba to subvert internal order. These are not random leaks, as they are presented, but part of the deliberate psychological warfare plan of the U.S. regime against Cuba.
At the height of cynicism and perversity, the Secretary of State has recently declared that U.S. sanctions against the Cuban regime will only be tightened. "What we are trying to teach them," he said, "is that there are no escape valves.
"This is an unreserved admission that a difficult situation exists in Cuba as a consequence of an unprecedented economic war. This statement constitutes an open threat of extermination against an entire people if they do not submit to the designs of the empire.
The United States Government has intensified its military threats and has updated its "regime change" doctrine; it keeps Cuba on the spurious list of State sponsors of terrorism and, to top it all off, has invented the ridiculous accusation of being an "espionage power" or a focus for the subversion of the so-called radical terrorist left—a label that seems to include everyone present here; a pathetic and fanciful name, only believable in their psychotic minds, yet used to confuse, justify further punishment, and legitimize their aggressions.
Regarding this, United Nations experts emphasized that the illegal unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States against Cuba contravene Article 2 of the United Nations Charter and are part of a broader regime change strategy spanning decades of embargo against Cuba.
"The United States Government must end all threats and hostile acts against the sovereignty of Cuba and revoke all measures imposed on the country that are contrary to International Law," the experts stated.
Furthermore, they added: "The Security Council and the General Assembly must urgently address these threats as a matter of international peace and security.
"There can be no greater act of cynicism than the perpetrator attempting to pass themselves off as a victim, when their misdeeds have been public and notorious for decades. The United States has no morality or right to point fingers at Cuba, which has likely been the nation most spied upon by them and has received the largest funds for economic and ideological subversion.
Cuba does not need to indoctrinate anyone. It does not need to export ideas. It is history that imparts lessons, showing how far the perversity of empires can go to satisfy their insatiable appetite for dominance and the possession of the material and human resources of other nations.
In this meeting, and before you, we denounce the criminal policy of the United States against Cuba, and also those who remain silent and tolerate the excesses of the emboldened American fascist far-right, which lies, steals, kills, and pretends to stand as God over all destinies.The United States blockade only works through the complicity of those who fear the power of Washington more than the judgment of history. The world cannot become an accomplice to another genocide.Every time a part of the world remains silent in the face of aggression against Cuba, International Law is weakened. Every time a government accepts the illegitimate sanctions of the United States, the principle of non-intervention is eroded.
Every time a company is pressured to withdraw its investments from Cuba and others refrain from investing for fear of retaliation, the economic dictatorship of a single power is strengthened.
In the face of this proven and undeniable reality, Cuba has defended itself, in its legitimate right, as any country in the world would. The Cuban people have also counted on the solidarity of men and women with a high sense of justice and morality, aware that reason and truth are on our side—many of whom are being persecuted today or face threats because of their supportive activism.
The revival of McCarthyism in its worst form and with transnational projection, which places Cuba at the center of its irrational crusade, attempts not only to criminalize solidarity with Cuba or to create a new false pretext for aggression, but also to attempt to silence the dissenting voices to the world order they wish to impose.
What common cause moves the left and the progressive movements of the world? Without a doubt, social justice; labor and children's rights; the defense of feminist, gender, and racial causes; the care and preservation of the environment; popular participation; historical memory and respect for indigenous peoples; world peace and harmony among nations; international solidarity, among many others that generally project themselves based on human dignity.
Can anyone with a rational sense believe that, because of this, the left or progressive forces are a danger to humanity? The obvious answer is no.
Only fascism can see such a danger in the left, because it seeks to impose by force an ideology and a system of values that are entirely contrary; that is why, in its current rise, it desperately seeks to criminalize, neutralize, and silence it in a desperate manner.
The extermination of Palestinians in Gaza, the onslaught in Venezuela, and the collective punishment of the Cuban people are events serious enough that we cannot remain inert. Tomorrow, any nation could end up like Gaza or Cuba if fascism is not confronted. The key lies in the awareness, mobilization, and international unity of the peoples.
In the face of this asphyxiated state, Cuba has not yielded. We have responses that prove it: Covid-19 vaccines, food production using agroecological techniques amidst scarcity, advancing clean energy, popular participation in neighborhoods, and the defense of the entire territory by a people turned into militias, ready to defend their self-determination, independence, and sovereignty.
Yes, we have many shortages. We are overwhelmed by blackouts, lack of water, inflation, and queues. But no material shortage has extinguished the flame of solidarity in which Fidel educated us, nor do we renounce the Martían principle that “the homeland is humanity” (Applause).
A fact that confirms this is that during these final days of the school year, tense and difficult like no other, 30,185 young professionals have graduated from Cuban universities, 735 of whom come from 62 different countries that have trained in Cuba. And a fact that honors us to show: 23 new Palestinian doctors and five American doctors (Applause).
The response of the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba, has been firm and creative resistance, unity, the defense of its achievements, and the updating of its economic and social model, without ever renouncing the principles of socialism and without yielding to pressure or blackmail. That capacity to resist and transform is rooted, firmer than ever, in the thought and action of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz (Applause).
Fidel understood, like few others, the need to articulate ideological firmness with tactical flexibility. He taught us that “Marxism-Leninism is not a dead doctrine, it is not a catechism, but a method, a guide, an instrument to concretely resolve the problems of life.
”Cuba works under that conception on the uncharted path of building socialism, as Army General Raúl Castro Ruz once expressed. Even the classics of Marxism could never have imagined how to do so on a small island, threatened by the greatest empire in human history and totally blockaded, whose State is cut off from all sources of resources, financing, and trade.
Faced with this dilemma, it is necessary to produce and generate wealth to redistribute with as much social justice as possible and to preserve the historical and essential achievements of the Revolution in strategic areas such as health, education, culture, science, energy, and communications.
Doing so will be the task of everyone—state and non-state enterprises, alongside other forms of economic management that together form the Cuban business framework—focused on a single goal: to build the prosperous and sustainable socialism that the heroic Cuban people deserve.
I know that the topic of economic and social transformations has been subject to information and debate. However, I want to emphasize key concepts: it is a process to dynamize the economy, not to establish capitalism; there will be no extreme privatization, the fundamental means of production remain in the hands of the people, and above all, national sovereignty and independence are preserved.
For such a complex process, the Communist Party of Cuba, as the supreme leading force of the State and society, stands as the primary entity responsible for its leadership, coordination, and control.
The Party will continue as the zealous guardian of the interests of the people, of the working class, of social achievements, and of the social justice that has driven the Revolution since its inception. It is not, nor will it ever be, a party of elites or lobbies. Its role as a single party imposes the duty to become increasingly democratic and representative, as Raúl has called us to do on so many occasions, without ever losing sight of the people, the Revolution, and socialism (Applause).
In a world where we are being convinced that there are no alternatives, our common task is to demonstrate with facts that there are; that socialism remains the only realistic and humane way forward against capitalist barbarism, as scientific Marxism taught us.
Dear comrades in struggle:
Today, on the centennial of his birth, Fidel is not physically present, but his presence is stronger than ever. What did the Commander-in-Chief leave us? He left us the certainty that dreams are conquered by defending ideas; he left us the lesson that internationalism is not just a phrase, but an attitude that must define us; he taught us the conviction that socialism is the only way to save humanity from the abyss.
Fidel was the first to denounce neoliberal globalization as the empire of death, and also the first to raise his voice for a better world for all.He taught us that the struggle to preserve the environment and the human species is also a socialist battle; that science must be at the service of the people; and that the unity of revolutionaries is more important than any tactical difference.
In Fidel, we find not only a historical leader but a school of revolutionary work: to study, to analyze, to foresee, to listen to the people, and to act with audacity and honesty. As he stated in the midst of the worst threats: “If what the imperialists intend for the sake of peace is that we cease to be revolutionaries, then we shall not cease to be revolutionaries; we shall never bend our flag!” (Applause).
Sisters and brothers:
May this Meeting in Havana, in the homeland of Fidel, serve to renew our commitment, coordinate our actions, and strengthen the conviction that the organized working class, guided by its vanguard parties, can change history.
The moment demands more than mere declarations of principles. It demands a qualitative leap in our international articulation and coordination. We, the communist and workers' parties, have the historical duty to weave an effective network of solidarity—one that is not limited to communiqués but translates into concrete actions:
To break the fascist media siege, using platforms to spread the truth of Cuba, of Palestine, and of all peoples under aggression.
To accompany the Cuban people in their just struggle for the lifting of the criminal blockade against Cuba, by mobilizing parliaments, trade unions, and social movements.
To strengthen the mechanisms of economic and technological cooperation between our countries and organizations.
And, fundamentally, to advance the theoretical debate on 21st-century socialism, adapting Marxist and Leninist principles to the new conditions of the digital revolution, communication, and the ecological crisis, without ever renouncing the central objective: the full dignity of mankind.
Furthermore, I call for self-criticism. It is not enough to condemn the empire; we must build popular power at the grassroots, winning the streets, the neighborhoods, the factories, and the schools. The unity of communists must be solid, yet as flexible as Fidel’s intelligence in dialoguing with all progressive sectors. Unity is not uniformity; unity is the will to fight and to win together! (Applause).
In the face of the imperialist offensive and the structural crisis of capitalism, we, the communist and workers' parties, are called to play a vanguard role—not only on the electoral or institutional plane but—and above all—in the organization, politicization, and mobilization of the working class under the complex conditions imposed by contemporary capitalism.It is our responsibility to strengthen the unity of the international communist movement, respecting the diversity of experiences, but with strategic clarity against our common enemy: imperialism, fascism, and monopoly capital.
To deepen political and ideological work, to contest cultural hegemony, and to confront the disinformation machinery that seeks to present capitalism as the only possible horizon.
To organize the working class and popular sectors within the new realities of work, where digitalization, automation, and the platform economy change the forms of exploitation, but not its essence.
Sisters and brothers in battle:
Despite the military might of the United States, the international communist movement does not falter; it resists and stands its ground (Applause).
It is impossible to predict how long this imperial offensive will last. We may yet witness more aggressions and more blockades, but we have the certainty, bequeathed by our own history, that the future belongs to those who dream and build, not to those who destroy and lie.
To defend Cuba with strength and urgency is to cut off the advance of supremacist, racist, xenophobic, elitist, and exclusionary ideas—ideas that are enemies of true freedom and human emancipation.
To defend Cuba is to fight against 2nd-century colonialism, against hegemonism, and against the pretense that a single country should decide the destiny of all.
Comrades, on the threshold of Fidel's first Centenary, I call upon you to redouble our efforts.
Let us not settle for merely surviving; let us aspire to build, together, a world where the word "solidarity" is not an ornament, but the engine of everything. Where children do not die of hunger while food is being thrown into the sea. Where science heals, rather than profits. Where politics is, as Che used to say, the art of serving others.
Until victory, always! (Shouts of: "Always!")
Long live Fidel on his Centenary and forever! (Shouts of: "Long live!")
Long live the unity of communists! (Shouts of: "Long live!")
Long live the struggle of our peoples! (Shouts of: "Long live!")
(Ovation)
(Taken from Granma)
