Lis Cuesta Peraza, the wife of Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, was spotted alongside him in photos taken during the recording of an interview he gave to NBC News' "Meet the Press." This significant media event took place at the José Martí Memorial located in Havana's Plaza de la Revolución.
In the images shared by Cuba's Presidency on social media, Lis Cuesta is seen wearing a white and blue dress, standing beside her husband and personally greeting journalist Kristen Welker, with the inscriptions of national hero José Martí in the background.
Her appearance sparked more buzz on social media than the political content of the interview itself. One prominent comment on the Cuban Presidency's Facebook post read, "But Machi is by his side. Was the interview like a couples therapy session?" Another user directly questioned, "If the interview was for the president, why was Machi there?"
"La Machi," as Cuesta is colloquially known among Cubans, has publicly rejected the title of first lady, describing it as "not only bourgeois but also patriarchal." Nonetheless, she fulfills this role in official events.
The interview with Kristen Welker marks the first time in decades that a Cuban leader has appeared on American television, the last being Fidel Castro's interview on "Meet the Press" in 1959.
The interview's content also stirred controversy. When asked if he would step down to save the country, Díaz-Canel responded that "resignation is not part of his vocabulary" and retorted by asking the journalist, "Do you ask Donald Trump that question?"
So far, only snippets of the recording have been released. Reactions on Facebook combined criticism of the regime, irony, and calls for free elections.
"Will they show this interview on the roundtable? Unedited of course... they could take advantage now that there's no electricity," one netizen remarked.
The interview was partially aired this Friday at 4 p.m. Eastern time on "Meet the Press NOW" and "NBC Nightly News." The full version is scheduled to air this Sunday on "Meet the Press" and will also be available on the NBC News website.
Cuban Leadership in the Media Spotlight
Why was Lis Cuesta's appearance significant?
Lis Cuesta's presence during the interview recording drew significant attention on social media, overshadowing even the political content, as it is unusual for her to accompany the Cuban president in such media events.
What was the controversial response from Díaz-Canel?
When asked if he would resign to save the country, Díaz-Canel stated that resignation is not part of his vocabulary and countered by asking if such a question would be posed to Donald Trump.
When will the full interview be available?
The extended version of the interview is set to air this Sunday on "Meet the Press," and it will also be accessible on the NBC News website.