The altar of “Homeland or Death!”, a showcase of ideological fidelity, is for rent.
14ymedio, Havana, May 12, 2025 — A new era is dawning for the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune* located directly across from the U.S. Embassy in Havana. From being a “distinguished bastion” that emerged in the heat of the Battle of Ideas at the beginning of this century, the facility is now “available to legal and natural persons” for the rental of halls, covered spaces, and open-air areas. According to the announcement published by Cubadebate, the measure seeks to “sustain the legacy of its founding principles.”
Next to the former Monte de las Banderas (Hill of the Flags), the 14,040-square-meter “protestódromo” “is pleased to open its ’doors’ to regulatory updates to economic policy,” according to the announcement. Its spaces will be rented for cultural, political, sporting, educational, and similar events, although it is unclear whether this includes private parties, weddings, or celebrations for revolutionary quinceañeras.
But the star of the package is the open-air space between the rooms, with capacity for 120 people and a panoramic view of the “historical enemy”
The publication appears in the “sponsored content” section, and with very specific prices: the rental of the air-conditioned hall, with a capacity for 100 people and dimensions of 15 x 40 meters, will cost 13,741 pesos and 29 cents per day. A practically modest price, considering that it promises—unlike the rest of the country—guaranteed water and electricity 24 hours a day. Another option, more intimate and better equipped, will be around 15,000 pesos. But the star package is the open-air space between the halls, with capacity for 120 people and a panoramic view of the “historical enemy”: the US Embassy. This corner costs 28,000 Cuban pesos per night, ideal for those who dream of toasting the empire.
The history of the Tribune dates back to 2000, as a reaction to the so-called “poster war.” The U.S. Interests Section—which operated as a de facto embassy—installed scrolling electronic messages on its facade targeting Cubans, with phrases about democracy, human rights, and freedom. These LED signs illuminated the Malecón for weeks, provoking a swift and theatrical response from the Cuban government.
On April 3 of that year, Fidel Castro inaugurated the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune directly across the street, presenting it as a “moral wall” against imperialism. Since then, the venue has hosted concerts, political rallies, school events, vigils, torch-lit parades, and other displays of revolutionary fervor, often with mandatory attendance for students, workers, and military personnel.
Over time, the platform became established as a symbolic, acoustic, and visual shield against the enemy’s messages. The staging increased: large black flags with white stars covered the direct view of the diplomatic headquarters for years.
From that same podium Fidel Castro shouted more than once that “principles and dignity are not for sale”
For a quarter of a century, this site was an altar of patriotic discourse and a showcase of ideological loyalty. However, fiscal strangulation and economic reforms have led the regime to monetize even its own icons. Thus, the quintessential anti-capitalist platform is rented by the day, even though from that same podium Fidel Castro repeatedly shouted that “principles and dignity are not for sale.”
In 2019, some modifications were begun to construct two two-story buildings. One of the local residents told 14ymedio: “They didn’t inform anyone here. One day we woke up and there they were, using their sledgehammer to knock everything down.” One of the workers explained: “We spent nine days erecting these flagpoles, and now they told us we had to come and demolish them.”
At the end of February 2025, the use of the National Capitol for a celebration of the 25th Havana Cigar Festival caused outrage. Researcher Rosa Marquetti wrote on social media: “How should we understand this quasi-private party at the foot of the statue that represents the image of the Homeland and next to the Tomb of the Unknown Mambí? What are they trying to tell us with this obscenity?”
Although the Anti-Imperialist Tribune doesn’t have the same symbolic weight as the Capitol, this decision to commodify what was once a showcase of anti-Yankee resistance will not go unnoticed. Turning what was once a symbol of ideological confrontation into an event hall is, at the very least, an irony of this era: from “Homeland or Death!” to “Available by the day. Negotiable prices.”
*Translator’s note: The site and its previous incarnations have also commonly been called a “platform” and a “bandstand”.
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