Díaz-Canel Engages in Dialogue with Intellectuals at Casa de las Américas

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, met on Thursday with intellectuals at Casa de las Américas, in a gathering that marked a new stage for the Network of Artists and Intellectuals in Defense of Humanity, according to the newspaper Granma.

The Cuban leader emphasized the need to coordinate efforts from the left to confront hegemonic policies, highlighting the responsibility of progressive parties and movements in the face of military threats in the region.

Díaz-Canel recalled the legacy of Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, and his joint creation of the Network in 2003 with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías, stressing the importance of culture as a bridge for defending just causes.

He asserted that the urgent task is to defend humanity against the resurgence of neo-fascist tendencies, calling for the strengthening of solidarity and critical thinking.

Addressing the situation in Gaza, Díaz-Canel expressed concern over the violence against the Palestinian people and denounced acts of aggression against Venezuela and media campaigns targeting President Nicolás Maduro Moros.

The head of state proposed revitalizing the Network’s communication strategy as an offensive on the battlefield of ideas, focusing on the defense of the Bolivarian Revolution and Latin American sovereignty.

Abel Prieto Jiménez, president of Casa de las Américas, recalled that the Network emerged during the Iraq War, underscoring its role in mobilizing international public opinion.

Venezuelan communicator Miguel Pérez Pirela, newly elected as the Network’s general coordinator, warned of the growing military threat in the Caribbean and conveyed a message from President Nicolás Maduro reaffirming unity with Cuba.

Other participants, including historian Elier Ramírez Cañedo and philosopher Fernando Buen Abad, agreed on the need to strengthen revolutionary praxis, create an archive documenting imperialist crimes, and establish a university in defense of humanity.

The session also featured remarks from Mariela Castro Espín, Rosa Miriam Elizalde, and Graciela Ramírez, who emphasized the importance of culture, ethics, and science in the communication struggle.

The meeting concluded with a call to consolidate the Network as a critical and sovereign space, capable of uniting intellectuals, artists, and professionals in the defense of humanity.