Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado delivered a powerful message this Saturday to the Cuban exile community gathered in Miami. Speaking at the "Save Cuba" conference, organized by the Cuban Democratic Directorate (DDC) on its 35th anniversary, Machado declared, "Venezuela is finally on the verge of freedom, and then we will unite to liberate Cuba and Nicaragua."
Machado, who successfully united the opposition against Nicolás Maduro's regime, dealt a crushing blow in the July 2024 presidential elections, a contest widely denounced as fraudulent when the Chavismo claimed victory. The event, held at Miami's Big Five Club, attracted political leaders, U.S. congress members, Cuban activists, and international voices committed to charting a democratic change strategy on the island amid what organizers describe as "the worst humanitarian crisis in its history."
In a recorded message, Machado expressed gratitude to U.S. congress members, including María Elvira Salazar, Mario Díaz-Balart, and Carlos Giménez, acknowledging them as "allies of the democratic cause across the region." She highlighted Venezuela's critical moment after "26 years of continuous struggle" against what she termed a "criminal and narco-terrorist regime."
"Our country is on the cusp of being free," Machado emphasized. "Once that happens, we will immediately move to liberate Cuba and Nicaragua to create a region free from communism, narco-terrorism, and tyranny," she stated, denouncing the persecution of activists, forced disappearances, and the presence of over 800 political prisoners in Venezuela.
The Diplomatic Push Against the Cuban Regime
According to Diario de las Américas, the "Save Cuba" event aims to consolidate a "national salvation" movement that unites Cubans inside and outside the island, bolstered by international alliances. Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat, coordinator of the DDC and the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance, emphasized the goal of "freeing Cuba from the oppressive regime," urging increased political and diplomatic pressure.
Among the international guests was Björn Söder, a Swedish parliamentarian who has advocated in Europe for suspending European Union funding to the Cuban government. Also present was Rosa María Payá, director of Cuba Decide, who continues the mission initiated by her father, Oswaldo Payá, an opponent and leader of the Christian Liberation Movement, allegedly murdered by the Cuban regime according to independent investigations and reports by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
The DDC also received support from Spain's Reformismo21 Foundation, whose president, Pablo Vázquez, recognized "the steadfast commitment to defending human rights and the peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba."
A Mature Civil Society Demanding Cuba's Salvation
The conference comes at a time when Cuba's civil society has reached unprecedented maturity. The November 27, 2020 protests in front of the Ministry of Culture, led by young artists and the San Isidro Movement, marked a turning point in the peaceful resistance against authoritarianism.
This seed of dissent took root on July 11, 2021 (11J), when thousands of Cubans in over fifty locations took to the streets chanting "freedom" and "homeland and life," in the largest wave of anti-government demonstrations in six decades. Despite repression and the imprisonment of hundreds, new expressions of dissent have multiplied.
Families of political prisoners, independent journalists, artists, and Catholic priests have raised their voices against the crisis and state violence, demonstrating that fear is no longer an insurmountable barrier to the desire for change. Declarations like the "six steps to save Cuba" from Camagüey or the pastoral messages from Catholic bishops demanding structural transformations are evidence that Cuban society is now debating a national project beyond the regime's imposed limits.
This internal awakening is linked to an exile community that, after decades of resistance, is increasingly organized into collective initiatives like the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance, Cuba Decide, and Citizenship and Freedom, among others.
The convergence of both shores is generating a shared vision of a nation where the demands for the release of political prisoners, respect for fundamental freedoms, and the call for free elections are consensus points. "Saving Cuba" is no longer just an exiles' slogan but also a clamor from Cubans on the island, who have demonstrated organizational capacity, political creativity, and a willingness to sacrifice.
This maturity, forged in adversity, points toward a scenario in which democratic change is not seen as an external act but rather as the joint construction of a free and plural nation, born from its people's resistance.
A Shared Cause
Machado concluded her speech with a message of regional unity: "Cuba and Venezuela share the same cause. There is nothing more powerful than a people who have decided to be free. Long live free Cuba, long live free Venezuela."
Through this declaration, the Venezuelan opposition leader aligned her country's struggle with the Cuban exile community, reinforcing the idea that the fall of Chavismo could herald a new political era in Latin America.
Questions and Answers on Cuba and Venezuela's Struggle for Freedom
What did María Corina Machado say about Venezuela's current situation?
María Corina Machado stated that Venezuela is on the brink of achieving freedom and emphasized the importance of uniting to liberate Cuba and Nicaragua afterward.
What is the goal of the "Save Cuba" conference?
The "Save Cuba" conference aims to consolidate a movement for national salvation that brings together Cubans inside and outside the island, supported by international alliances, to free Cuba from its oppressive regime.
How has Cuba's civil society matured in recent years?
Cuba's civil society has matured through unprecedented protests and dissent, such as the 11J demonstrations, with various groups demanding change and showing organizational capacity and political creativity.