Cuban Exiles Rally in Spain Against Cuban Government Spokesperson

On Monday, a group of Cuban exiles gathered in Madrid to protest during an event featuring Gabriela Fernández Álvarez, a spokesperson for the Cuban regime and host of the television show Con Filo. The demonstration was staged outside the Hispano-Cuban Friendship Association "Bartolomé de las Casas," where Fernández was giving a talk, according to multiple reports on social media.

A report from Árbol Invertido indicated that several Cubans attempting to enter the venue peacefully were denied access under the pretense that it was a private event. Meanwhile, activist Havana de la Torre, who was among the protesters, noted the presence of police at the site. The audience for the conference, which included the Cuban consul, was described as primarily composed of "elderly Spaniards."

The talk was titled "Young Cubans in the Time of Donald Trump," added Árbol Invertido. Exiles and activists, holding signs demanding the release of political prisoners and denouncing the repression on the island, viewed the event as a propaganda effort to improve the regime's image outside of Cuba.

Once the event concluded, protesters shouted at Fernández Álvarez with cries of "shameless," "who paid you," "Gabriela, here are the Cubans," "down with the dictatorship," and "freedom for political prisoners," as they were held back by the police. In a defiant gesture, Fernández Álvarez blew them a kiss while others in her entourage filmed or photographed the protesters.

It was reported earlier this week that Fernández Álvarez, one of the most prominent figures in the Cuban regime's propaganda machine, would be embarking on a tour across 15 Spanish cities from May 5 to 21, under the theme "Cuban Youth in the Time of Trump." The young host of Con Filo, a program on Cuban Television that aligns closely with the regime's ideological interests, aims to defend the official narrative in front of European audiences with the support of the State Movement of Solidarity with Cuba (MESC).

The tour's provisional schedule includes events in cities such as Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Málaga, Bilbao, Valencia, Gijón, and Seville, among others. Some gatherings will be open to the public, while others, like those at the University of Seville or in Vilaboa, are slated to be closed-door meetings. Local hosts include venues affiliated with Izquierda Unida, the Communist Party of Spain, and solidarity associations with Cuba.

Born in Havana in 2000, Gabriela Fernández is a scriptwriter and presenter of Con Filo, a show launched in 2021 as the regime's media response following the July 11 protests that year. The television segment describes itself as "a trench against manipulation," though it effectively acts as a mouthpiece for the government's justifications of repression, structural crises, and the lack of freedoms on the island. In addition to her TV role, Fernández writes for Cubadebate, contributes to the official feminist magazine Cimarronas, and teaches at the Enrique José Varona University of Pedagogical Sciences. According to pro-government media, she earned a gold degree and academic excellence certificates in 2024.