Declaration by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Cuban culture under siege by fascist hatred"

In the last few days, prestigious Cuban artists and intellectuals have been the targets of aggression, attacks, instigated and perpetrated by elements of the transnational extreme right wing, at events in certain European countries. The most recent examples have been the reprehensible attacks, with impunity, on the Buena Fe duo in certain settings in Spain and the shameful revocation of the distinguished writer Nancy Morejón’s appointment as Honorary Chair of the Paris Poetry Market in France.

Such manifestations of rabid hatred are not new. A few decades ago, the Cuban people and the world at large witnessed an appalling act of vandalism against the work - burned in the streets of Miami - of the respected artist Manuel Mendive and the attacks on people attending a major concert of the Van Van ensemble there, which was unaffected.

Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphatically condemns these fascist-style acts directed at exponents of our national culture.

It also denounces the severe pressures, attempts at intimidation and blackmail targeting empresarios, culture promoters, owners of establishments and foreign cultural agencies responsible for organizing our artists’  tours and events in these countries.

The Ministry is aware that these are isolated instances - the work of minority groups representing reactionary forces that embrace neofascist ideology and are amply funded by organizations at the service of imperialism, having the evident mission of defaming Cuban culture and our artists, obfuscating our people’s historic, patriotic memory and cultural identity and destroying the Cuban Revolution.

In almost all the international scenarios in which Cuban artists and intellectuals have been presented, including within the countries where incidents of the kind described have taken place, they have been enthusiastically welcomed by the vast majority of audiences, who regard them as ambassadors of the best values and expressions of our culture.

Cuban culture, which suffers the effects of the inhuman, illegal economic blockade, carries messages of peace, dialogue and tolerance. It rejects the extremes, hatred and violence which the imperialist, monopolistic interests originating with the United States and certain of its allies seek to impose.

Solidarity, peace and commitment to art will continue to motivate our artists, in the face of the prevailing violence, impunity, fascism and cultural colonization.

Cuba will not refrain from exhibiting its culture in any corner of the world and will respond to all acts of aggression with firmness and unity.

Havana, June 1st, 2023