Diego Suárez, a prominent Cuban exile businessman who will celebrate his centennial birthday this November, expressed unwavering confidence that 2026 will mark Cuba's liberation during an interview with CiberCuba.
"I don't just believe it; I am absolutely certain that this year will bring us Cuba's freedom," declared Suárez, who was born on November 11, 1926—the same year as Fidel Castro—and has lived in exile for 67 years.
His assertion comes amid heightened political anticipation following a statement by Mike Hammer, the head of the U.S. Mission in Cuba, in February declaring that "the dictatorship will end" and predicting that 2026 will be a historic year for the island.
Suárez, who initially engaged in the struggle for Cuba's liberation with the Comando L organization before co-founding the Cuban American National Foundation (FNCA) in 1981 alongside Jorge Mas Canosa, shared his optimism: "I am extremely hopeful, extremely positive. I believe that the winds are blowing in favor of our cause, and soon we will have the chance to rebuild the new republic."
When asked if he ever felt disheartened after 67 years of fighting without the expected outcome, Suárez emphatically responded, "No, not at all. Quite the opposite."
He reminisced about traveling with Mas Canosa through Latin America, Eastern Europe, and even Moscow to garner support for the Cuban cause, emphasizing that these experiences never diminished his resolve.
"I feel that Cuba is closer than ever," he stated.
Challenges and Hope for Cuba's Future
Suárez does not shy away from acknowledging Cuba's harsh reality after over six decades under communist rule. "Cuba is like a bombed city, a bombed republic," he remarked, recognizing the monumental task of reconstruction.
Nonetheless, he rejected the notion that the Cuba he remembers has vanished forever: "We need to reclaim it and rebuild it because what has happened is a disaster."
For this reconstruction, Suárez suggests a specific roadmap: implementing the 1940 Constitution, the last legitimate legal framework of the republic before the Castro regime's imposition.
"Let's look back at the Cuba of the past, put the 1940 constitution into action, and move forward with the new republic's reestablishment," he pointed out.
The businessman also highlighted the role of the exile community in the future reconstruction, estimating that over two million Cubans abroad have been preparing "consciously and unconsciously" for this task.
The interview is set against the backdrop of maximum pressure from the Trump administration on the Cuban regime, including the threat of deploying an aircraft carrier within a hundred meters of the island's coast to force the regime's surrender.
Additionally, 2026 marks the centenary of Fidel Castro, who died in 2016, adding a symbolic layer to Suárez's words: the man born in the same year as the dictator, who outlived him, and who now, nearing a century of life, feels that "the Eternal Cuba seized by these bandits in 1959" is on the brink of being reclaimed.
Suárez also disclosed in the same interview that a transition plan for Cuba has already been devised by exiled leaders in coordination with the U.S. government, a detail that reinforces his belief that change is not merely a wish but an ongoing reality.
Insights on Cuba's Prospective Freedom
What is Diego Suárez's prediction for Cuba in 2026?
Diego Suárez predicts with certainty that 2026 will be the year of Cuba's liberation.
How does Diego Suárez propose to rebuild Cuba?
Suárez proposes using the 1940 Constitution as the legal foundation for Cuba's reconstruction.
What role does the Cuban exile community play in Suárez's vision?
According to Suárez, over two million Cubans abroad are preparing to contribute to the future reconstruction of Cuba.