Anti-Imperialist Platform Now Available for Rent at 28,000 Pesos Daily

The José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform, originally erected opposite the U.S. Embassy in Havana as a showcase for official rhetoric during the Battle of Ideas, is now a venue for parties, meetings, fairs, and a variety of events, available for rent at up to 28,000 pesos per day. According to a piece published as "sponsored content" on the state-controlled website Cubadebate, this iconic location opens its indoor and outdoor areas for lease to both individuals and legal entities for cultural, political, educational, and sports activities, among other uses.

The announcement, which highlights the practical shift in Cuba's heritage policy, states: “The Anti-Imperialist Platform and the Flag Mount, a prominent anti-imperialist bastion born amidst the Battle of Ideas, is pleased to open its 'doors' to the new economic policy updates of 2025.” This reflects a transformation in the use of spaces that once served as ideological platforms, now turning into profitable venues.

Pricing Options for Various Needs

Previously used for massive gatherings, anti-imperialist speeches, and ideological concerts, the location can now host private presentations, corporate workshops, or institutional parties. For instance, a climate-controlled meeting room, accommodating 100 people, rents for 13,741.29 CUP daily. There are also protocol rooms: one for 50 people and a smaller one for 20, each priced at 15,543 CUP per day.

During nighttime, the open-air spaces between these rooms are available for events hosting up to 120 people, with a cost of 28,000 CUP per day. Additionally, offices within the socio-administrative building are offered, priced at 340 CUP per square meter monthly, equaling 12,240 CUP for a 6x6 meter office and 3,060 CUP for a 3x3 meter space.

From a Combative Stage to a Real Estate Asset

The José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform was one of Fidel Castro’s grand projects, requiring significant material resources and labor hours. Construction commenced on January 15, 2000, and was completed in 80 consecutive days, involving 1,988 workers, technicians, architects, and engineers from various provinces in intensive shifts.

The idea for this installation emerged from the propagandistic campaign known as the Battle of Ideas and the mass mobilizations for the return of the young rafter Elián González to Cuba in 2000. The location was chosen for its proximity to the then United States Interests Section in Havana. It has hosted marches against U.S. government policies and, in recent years, performances by various music groups, both Cuban and international.

In 2019, the site underwent demolition to redesign its layout and replace deteriorating elements affected by marine salt, such as the flagstaffs forming a "forest" (Forest of Flags) that obstructed the view of LED screens at the Interests Office, which displayed messages supporting human rights. At that time, Orestes Llanes Mestres, vice president of the Provincial Administration Council, explained that the restructuring included "two areas for dressing rooms, meeting rooms, and other facilities on the sides, leaving a path in the middle to reach the Forest of Flags. Both will be built on a base over one meter high to protect against flooding, as the old meeting room and dressing rooms were level with the avenue. Additionally, a parking area is planned."

However, the official asserted that "the Platform will never become anything other than what it was conceived for: an excellent venue for the fight against imperialism; it has been a stage for great battles and celebrations." The restructuring involved dismantling the metal arches symbolizing the "unity of the Cuban people" that adorned the public space. After two decades of exposure to marine salt, the arches were entirely corroded and appeared as rusty elements in a plaza that, between neglect and the regime's urban planning blunders, represented a nation destabilized by mismanagement.

A Symbolic Relinquishment Amid Economic Crisis

In place of the arches, a monumental reinforced concrete structure designed as the national flag was installed, drawing criticism and ridicule from many social media users who dubbed it "the guillotine." Renting the Anti-Imperialist Platform presents a stark contradiction between rhetoric and reality: what was once hailed as a "sacred" space of sovereignty has become rentable real estate amid an economic crisis. Worse still is the persistence of the epic language—“fervor,” “principles,” “bastion”—as if nothing had changed.

This is not merely an economic decision. It's a symbolic concession. Transforming an icon of political resistance into a rentable venue reveals not only a material crisis but also the exhaustion of the narrative that upheld it. In this silence, the symbolic power is not merely leased out—it is lost.