The day concluded three days of activities in Madrid, following a discussion on the memory of July 11 and a debate on the challenges of a future democratic transition
14ymedio, Dayana Prieto Espinosa, Madrid, 11 July 2026 / The Cuban exile community brought the spirit of July 11th to Madrid’s Puerta del Sol on Saturday, the fifth anniversary of the social uprising. Dozens of Cubans and Spaniards participated for several hours in a public demonstration to commemorate the largest protest against the regime on the island, demand the release of political prisoners, and denounce the ongoing repression.
Under the slogan “Today could be another 11J,” the initiative concluded three days of activities organized by Cuban exile groups. The program began last Thursday with the discussion “Five Years Later: Memory, Resistance, and Freedom,” which included activists, journalists, and participants in the protests, and continued on Friday with the colloquium “Challenges for the Cuba to Come,” moderated by Dr. Antonio Guedes and focused on the political, economic, and institutional challenges of a future democratic transition.
In Madrid’s central square this Saturday, participants displayed Cuban flags, distributed information to passersby, and spoke with dozens of people who approached them, interested in the situation on the island. The day combined public speeches, artistic performances, and testimonies from Cubans who have left the country and from Spaniards who support the democratic cause.
“It’s been 67 years of abuse of power, mistreatment, and misery. Enough is enough,” summarized Odalis Chongo, a native of San Miguel del Padrón, in Havana.
Independent journalist Iliana Hernández emphasized the historical significance of the 2021 protests. “The 11th of July is the true day of the national rebellion, not the 26th of July. On that date in 1953, criminals who today hold the Cuban people hostage stormed a barracks,” she stated.
Hernández also dedicated part of his speech to denouncing the situation of Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. He noted that the artist has been held captive by State Security for three days, despite having fully served his sentence.
Among those present was Alicia, a Cuban woman who has lived in Spain for over two decades. “At first, I came back to visit my country. But I don’t want to return until it’s free,” she explained while holding a Cuban flag.
The event also brought together Spanish citizens who wanted to express their solidarity with Cubans. A woman from Madrid stated that she has never traveled to the island and does not intend to do so while the current political system remains in place. “I wouldn’t go as a tourist to a country where they repress people and where they are suffering so much. I find what Spanish politicians like those from Podemos are doing shameful. They only represent a very small percentage of Spaniards. They cannot speak for all of us,” she asserted.
Simón Elías Rodríguez, a 19-year-old Cuban who emigrated just a year ago, explained why he decided to attend the rally. “I emigrated from Cuba when I was 18. When there’s no freedom, there’s no economy, no future. I’m here for that reason and for the political prisoners,” he said.
Another Spanish woman explained that she was attending on behalf of her family. “I’m here representing my husband, who is Cuban. My son was born in Spain, but he feels very Cuban. It’s essential that there be a change,” she stated.
For Iancarlo Rocabruno Pentón, the day also served to combat the regime’s official narrative. “There is an oppressive dictatorship in Cuba,” he stated. In his opinion, there are still people in Spain who believe “in the regime’s propaganda, in the false socialist paradise,” although he noted that many passersby approached him with interest to learn about the Cuban reality. “Many Venezuelans approach us because they understand, like few others, what these dictatorships do to people,” he added.
Five years after those demonstrations that swept through dozens of Cuban cities with cries of “Freedom” and “Homeland and Life,” the organizers insisted that the rebellion that began in the streets of the Island remains open as long as political prisoners remain, repression continues, and millions of Cubans continue to be deprived of fundamental rights.
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