The Nicaraguan dictator, Daniel Ortega, took the opportunity during the National Dignity Day ceremony held last Monday in Managua to express his support for the Cuban regime. He declared that "the people of Cuba are among those who have long stopped being afraid of fear."
This statement was shared by the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs on their social media platforms with the hashtag #CubaIsNotAlone, expressing gratitude for Ortega's words.
In the recording, Ortega states, "When we have a people like the Cuban people who have been facing threats of invasion for over 60 years, but the Cuban people are among those who have long stopped being afraid of fear."
The central theme of Ortega's speech was "there's no need to fear fear," applied to the situations in Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela in response to pressure from Washington. "They wish these threats would terrify the people, but how many hells have we endured?" the dictator added during his address.
Ortega also used the occasion to criticize Nicaraguan political exiles in the United States, whom he accused of calling for an invasion against his government, and he recalled the protests of April 2018 as "the last hell" his regime overcame.
Nicaraguan opposition sectors interpreted the speech as "confrontational, erratic, and revealing of the regime's fear" in light of international isolation, noting that the real fear lies within the dictatorship, not the civilian population.
Long-Standing Alliance Between Nicaragua and Cuba
The solidarity between Managua and Havana is rooted in a history of material exchanges and mutual political support.
Nicaragua has sent food supplies to Cuba on several occasions, including 50 containers of rice and beans in December 2021, and a shipload of donations following the fire at the Matanzas Supertanker Base in August 2022.
Conversely, Cuba dispatched one million doses of the Abdala vaccine to Nicaragua in October 2021.
In July 2024, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz attended the ceremony marking the 43rd anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution in Managua, declaring, "With Cuba and Nicaragua, we shall have revolution for a long time."
Months later, in May 2025, Ortega and Rosario Murillo made a diplomatic blunder by congratulating Díaz-Canel on the "123rd Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Cuba," choosing May 20, a date officially rejected by the Cuban regime.
Ortega's Words Amidst Heightened Tensions
Ortega's speech comes at a time of increased pressure from the Trump administration on the three regimes. Weeks before the event, the Nicaraguan dictator had labeled the U.S. president a "lunatic" for sanctioning his children and for his policies toward Venezuela and Cuba.
In February 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the regimes of Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela of being "enemies of humanity" for causing migratory crises.
Ortega's rhetoric about "fear" starkly contrasts with the harsh reality faced by the Cuban people: decades of repression, chronic shortages, and an unprecedented migratory crisis, the result of 67 years of communist dictatorship masked by the solidarity rhetoric of regimes where citizens live under the yoke of true states of terror.
Understanding the Cuban Regime's Impact
What is the historical relationship between Nicaragua and Cuba?
Nicaragua and Cuba have a long-standing relationship characterized by material aid and political support. This includes exchanging resources such as food supplies and vaccines, and mutual backing in political arenas.
How did Ortega describe the Cuban people's attitude toward fear?
Ortega claimed that the Cuban people have overcome their fear, suggesting that they no longer fear threats or invasions, a statement meant to portray resilience amidst external pressure.
What criticism did Ortega face from the Nicaraguan opposition?
The Nicaraguan opposition criticized Ortega's speech as confrontational and erratic, indicating it revealed the regime's fear of international isolation and that the real fear lies within the dictatorship itself.