Díaz-Canel: The Unity of the People Is the Strongest Weapon Against Imperialism
Havana – Republic of PalestineFriday, January 16, 2026
Cuba witnessed, over the past days, powerful national scenes embodying deep revolutionary commitment and internationalist solidarity. More than half a million Cubans took to the streets of Havana in a massive combative march, alongside parallel marches and commemorative events held across the country’s fifteen provinces, honoring the memory of 32 Cuban fighters who fell while confronting U.S. imperialist aggression against Venezuela.
These events followed the official reception ceremony for the remains of 23 fallen heroes at José Martí International Airport, attended by the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution Raúl Castro, President of the Republic and First Secretary of the Communist Party Miguel Díaz-Canel, senior state and party officials, and representatives of the martyrs’ families.
Facing the Empire’s Embassy: A Speech of Unity and Resistance
Speaking before the start of the main march from the Anti-Imperialist Tribune facing the U.S. Embassy in Havana, President Miguel Díaz-Canel affirmed that the recent aggression once again exposes the true nature of imperialism, stressing that Cuba did not choose hostility—it was imposed upon it.
“The Cuban people are not anti-imperialist by nature,” Díaz-Canel stated, “but imperialism made us so. And not Cuba alone—this act, which violates all international norms, will make the entire world more hostile to imperialism.”
The Cuban president emphasized that national unity has always been the key to victory, warning that the enemies of the nation are betting on breaking that unity, and noting that today’s threats echo those of U.S. administrations dominated by so-called “war hawks.”
Youth: The Continuation of the Revolution
Díaz-Canel highlighted the leading role of Cuban youth in carrying forward revolutionary memory, pointing to the widespread circulation of a historic video of Fidel Castro recounting his encounter with a barracuda—a metaphor for confronting aggression head-on.
“This is how we must confront the empire,” he said, “like swimming straight toward the barracuda, not away from it.”
He added that Cuban youth were responsible for reviving and spreading this lesson through social media, proving that new generations continue to absorb and apply the teachings of the Revolution.
The Blood of the Martyrs: An Unbreakable Covenant
In an emotional moment, Díaz-Canel paid tribute to the members of the personal security corps who fell while defending democratically elected Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, affirming that their sacrifice embodied the highest values of internationalist loyalty.
He recalled the words of Colonel Humberto Alfonso Roca, commander of the group that gave their lives that morning:
“They will only kidnap or assassinate the president over my dead body.”
Díaz-Canel stressed that the relationship between Cuba and Venezuela is not a transaction or an exchange of interests, but a bond of brotherhood and shared struggle, warning those who underestimate this historic friendship that the Cuban people are “ready to fight if attacked, with the same unity and determination shown by the 32 martyrs.”
When a People Weeps, Injustice Trembles
The marches concluded in scenes where grief merged with pride, as the Cuban people transformed pain into resolve and renewed their commitment to the homeland and to resisting imperial aggression.
The crowds recalled the historic words of Fidel Castro during the funeral of the victims of the 1976 terrorist bombing of a Cuban aircraft:
“Pain is not shared—it multiplies. And when a strong, vibrant people weeps, injustice trembles.”
Lee en español
أقرأ بالعربية
