Declaration of Cuban Intellectuals in Defense of National Sovereignty, Peace and Social Justice

Via the Communist Party of Cuba, translated from the Spanish

We, the undersigned recipients of the National Social Sciences and National History Prizes of the Republic of Cuba, mindful of the ethical responsibility our intellectual work and commitment to the nation carry, hereby make public the the following statement:

We reaffirm, first and foremost, our loyalty to the principles of independence, sovereignty and social justice that have guided the Cuban revolutionary process since its inception. The history of Cuba, from the Mambi struggle to the present day, has been marked by a persistent struggle against all forms of external domination, and that legacy continues to be the foundation of our thinking and our actions.

We defend the inalienable right of the Cuban people to decide their destiny without foreign interference. The economic blockade and pressures of all kinds constitute forms of aggression that directly affect the daily lives of our population and hinder the full development of the country.

We denounce imperialism as a threat to peace, stability, and the self-determination of nations. The rise of neo-fascism worldwide, with the abject leadership of fanatics in the turbulent and brutal North, endangers the very existence of our species. Cuba is a victim today of these dark forces that we must reject.

We stand by the humanist and emancipatory vocation of the Cuban social project, whose essential objective is human dignity, the expansion of social rights and the construction of a more equitable society.

We recognize the challenges, tensions and contradictions inherent in any living historical work, but we maintain that the solution to all our problems belongs exclusively to the Cuban people, through dialogue, participation, and the continuous improvement of their institutions, respecting the current constitutional order and their tradition of resistance.

We warn against the dangers of discourses that, under the guise of academic analysis or ‘civic’ concerns, can contribute to legitimizing destabilization agendas or reproducing narratives that serve interests foreign to the nation. History teaches that interference only leads to violence, suffering, and the loss of sovereignty.

We advocate peace as the guiding principle of national and international coexistence. Cuba needs, more than ever, spaces for understanding, respect, and collective building, far removed from sterile confrontation and calls for foreign intervention. Our commitment to peace does not deny this country’s right to defend itself against aggression, if necessary, although we hope that such a scenario will never materialize.

We reiterate our confidence in the ability of the Cuban people to face their challenges with intelligence, political awareness and a sense of justice. We call upon the academic community and the general public to defend historical truth, national independence, and the values ​​of solidarity that have characterized our nation

We sign this declaration to support Cuba's right to exist independently, free from control, blockades, or threats, and to pursue a future characterized by peace, social justice, and complete sovereignty.

1. Isabel Monal Rodríguez

2. María del Carmen Barcia

3. Pedro Pablo Rodríguez López

4. Olga Portuondo Zúñiga

5. Sergio Guerra Vilaboy

6. Alberto Prieto Rozos

7. Aurelio Alonso Tejada

8. Jesús Guanche Pérez

9. José Luis Rodríguez García

10. Francisca López Civeira

11. Mildred de la Torre

12. José Bell Lara

13. Hebert Pérez Concepción

14. Urbano Martínez Carmenate

15. Israel Escalona Chádez

16. José Luis Méndez Méndez

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC