Havana, May 27 (Prensa Latina) Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel today sent congratulations to his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, and to the members of the Simón Bolívar Great Patriotic Pole, for the electoral victory achieved in the recent elections.
“The Bolivarian Revolution is consolidating its institutions with the majority support of the people, despite the sieges and sanctions,” the president emphasized on the social network Telegram.
The head of state highlighted the success achieved by the Great Patriotic Pole, an electoral alliance led by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, whose candidates won the legislative and regional elections.
Following the elections held on May 25, the Simón Bolívar Great Patriotic Pole won 82.68 percent of the 285 seats in Venezuela’s National Assembly (parliament) and 23 of the 24 governorships across the country.
Data released by the National Electoral Council confirmed the participation of 42.63 percent of the 21.4 million eligible voters in the election.
As US restrictions tighten, Cuba’s efforts to protect its ecosystems are faltering — with rising deforestation, strained conservation programs, and growing pressure on protected areas.
Music, cigars, and vintage cars — these are the most common clichés about visiting Havana, Cuba’s capital. They’re all still common sights, but now visitors may also encounter a different scene: mounting garbage in the streets, forest fires, and chemical waste dumped in residential areas.
These are all symptoms of the country’s worst economic crisis in three decades — which started during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now compounded by renewed political pressure from the United States.
On top of the decades-long US embargo, the new Trump administration quickly re-added Cuba to the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. The designation, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the administration’s first few days, allows for harsh sanctions: trade restrictions, export bans, frozen assets under US jurisdiction, and limited access to international financial markets.
This political label, though aimed at Cuba’s government, severely restricts the entire island’s access to international funding, technology, and scientific collaboration. It also hinders any attempt at a genuine energy transition and makes the protection of Cuba’s rich biodiversity — among the most unique in the Caribbean — increasingly difficult.
Sergio Jorge Pastrana, executive director of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, blames the “mismanagement of solid waste in Havana and other cities” on the policies of the United States government. “Fuel is so scarce that basic environmental services, once a hallmark of Cuba’s public systems, can no longer be sustained,” he says.
On the streets of the country, residents feel a sense of nostalgia for the era of the Obama presidency, when relations between Cuba and the United States started to normalize.
“Back then, there was hope,” says José Mendez, a resident of Havana. “The biggest problem for me is that, since Trump was elected, that hope has vanished. There was a glimmer with Biden, but he’s done very little to ease the pressure on us. Now there’s no prospect for economic or environmental improvement here.”
A Political Tool With Environmental Costs
The State Sponsors of Terrorism list is maintained by the US State Department and includes governments accused of financially, logistically, or politically supporting terrorist groups. As of now, only Cuba, North Korea, Syria, and Iran remain on the list.
The designation carries not only commercial restrictions but also cuts off foreign companies and nongovernmental organizations from operating in the country, for fear of legal complications or reputational damage. It further isolates Cuba diplomatically and reinforces its pariah status on the world stage.
“This list functions more as a tool of geopolitical leverage than an effective mechanism for curbing terrorism,” says Carolina Silva Pedroso, a professor of international relations at the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil. “It weakens regimes that don’t align with US policy while overlooking allies involved in equally questionable actions.”
Cuba was originally placed on the list in the 1980s for offering medical aid and asylum to groups such as Colombia’s FARC and Spain’s ETA. The country was removed during the Obama–Raúl Castro rapprochement in 2015.
Barack Obama’s presidency tried to normalize bilateral relations between Washington and Havana by easing economic blockade measures, removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and allowing U.S. cooperation in sectors such as tourism and agronomy — steps that boosted the island’s economy.
The nation’s environment quickly benefited. Between 2015 and 2021, the Cuban government significantly increased its financial commitment to environmental conservation from 534 million pesos ($22.2 million) in 2015 to 2.3 billion pesos in 2021 ($95.8 million) — a more than 330 percent increase, according to Cuba’s National Office of Statistics and Information.
During this period Cuba’s increased investment in environmental conservation led to several tangible outcomes on the ground — including the launch of coastal wetland restoration programs, the promotion of organic and sustainable agriculture, and the implementation of national strategies to adapt to climate change.
But Trump reinstated Cuba to the terrorism list in his first term — sparking formal protests from the Cuban government.
President Joe Biden’s administration removed Cuba from the list again in the final hours before he left office. But Trump again reversed that decision, making the designation one of the first symbolic acts of his second presidency.
Triple Crisis: Economy, Energy, and Ecosystems
As Cuba struggles with soaring three-digit inflation, widespread rationing of food, fuel, and public services, and a GDP drop of 12 percent since 2019, its ecosystems are quietly collapsing.
In Santa Marta, a town in the province of Villa Clara where thousands of tourists flock to visit the white beaches of Cayo Santa María, the tension between economic survival and environmental conservation is palpable. According to a Cuban government report, unregulated tourism is degrading coral reefs and mangrove forests in the area.
The once-pristine sands and turquoise waters now coexist with waste and pollution. In 2019 Villa Clara collected 1.9 million cubic meters (67 million square feet) of waste, according to Cuba’s National Office of Statistics and Information. By 2023, the latest data available, the figure dropped to 911,000 cubic meters (32 million square feet) — not because there’s less waste, but because the system can no longer operate properly.
The lack of resources for environmental enforcement and infrastructure makes it difficult to contain deforestation, poaching, and overexploitation of natural resources.
Investment in environmental protection has grown by only 47 percent since 2021, but hyperinflation — estimated at around 200 percent over the same period — has severely undermined these efforts. As the cost of living soars, locals increasingly turn to protected areas for income, guiding tourists through fragile ecosystems and hunting during restricted seasons.
Cuba’s biodiversity includes more than 35,000 species, with more than 42 percent endemism, according to government data — a staggering concentration for an island of its size. According to Cuba’s Institute of Ecology and Systematics and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, numerous endemic species face increasing threats. Among the island’s native flora, 772 species are critically endangered, 512 are endangered, and 396 are classified as vulnerable.
Notably, the zunzuncito (Mellisuga helenae) — the world’s smallest bird — is threatened by habitat loss, while the almiquí (Solenodon cubanus), a rare nocturnal mammal endemic to Cuba, is critically endangered and remains under close study by the IES. Both species are particularly sensitive to habitat disruption and human encroachment.
While the government doesn’t openly admit it, locals told me that deforestation has increased as families cut trees for firewood to escape Cuba’s frequent blackouts.
Forest fires, 95 percent of which were caused by human activity, also surged by 97 percent last year, with economic losses estimated at 338 million pesos (about $14 million) according to the Ministry of Agriculture. In Villa Clara, tree planting fell from 1,220 acres in 2019 to just 444 acres in 2023.
“I know many people who clear forests just to be able to cook or start planting something,” says Héctor Muñiz, a resident of Santa Clara. “Illegal fishing and dumping waste … are also increasing. A lot of what we see is simply a result of … the economy.”
Beyond biodiversity, Cuba is also struggling to finance its renewable energy transition. The country’s aging power grid relies heavily on oil-powered thermoelectric plants, which are frequently offline due to lack of fuel.
“Cuba’s goal is to generate 24 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030,” says Bernardo Pericás, a researcher and author of several books on Cuban politics and economy.
But progress is slow. The US embargo and the terrorism designation make international financing nearly impossible. The amount of energy generated from renewables fell from 1.3 million tons of oil equivalent to just 624,000 over five years, around 15.1 billion kWh to 7.2 million kWh. The number of solar panels installed increased only slightly — from 4,000 per year to 6,000 in the same period, according to ONEI data.
“Paradoxically, for Cuba to become more autonomous and less dependent on external systems, it still needs outside investment,” Pedroso explains. “The current restrictions make that impossible.”
This story by Vinicius Pereirawas originally published by The Revelatorand is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. WhoWhatWhy has been a partner in Covering Climate Now since its inception in 2019.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) last week barred scientists in six “countries of concern” from accessing 21 biomedical databases – a vast network of vital healthcare resources related to an array of conditions from Alzheimer’s to cancer. The ban impacts Cuba, China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela and North Korea.
The measure stems from a Biden administration rule to prevent access to “sensitive” U.S. data by countries that “pose a significant risk” of using that data “to the detriment of the national security of the United States.”
There’s no credible evidence that Cuba poses a threat to U.S. national security, including within the fields the scientific databases cover.
However, these types of baseless claims leveled by U.S. officials are not new.
In 2002, then Under Secretary of State John Bolton accused Cuba of developing biological weapons just as he was claiming Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Both claims were bogus.
There is evidence, however, connecting the U.S. government to the use of biological weapons against Cuba. In 1962, U.S. officials discussed using biological or chemical agents to sabotage Cuban crops. The 1975 U.S. Senate Church Committee revealed CIA plots to use biological agents to assassinate Fidel Castro. And a report in Newsday presented evidence that operatives linked to anti-Castro terrorists and backed by the CIA introduced African swine fever virus into Cuba in 1971, leading to an outbreak that forced the slaughter of 500,000 pigs.
After Havana-stationed U.S. diplomats and CIA operatives reported a series of health incidents in 2016, then Senator Marco Rubio and other U.S. politicians accused Cuba of “attacks” on U.S. personnel. But since then, multiple investigations by U.S. security and scientific authorities have found no evidence of attacks, much less any evidence linking Cuba – or any other country – to the incidents.
Watch Episode 4 of our documentary series The War on Cuba, where we take a closer look at so-called “Havana Syndrome.”
The U.S. restriction on access to biomedical databases erects yet another barrier to scientific and medical collaboration between the United States and Cuba, which has long been stifled by U.S. sanctions. Scientists from both countries grew closer during the Obama opening only to be wedged apart again during the Trump and Biden administrations. Read our article about the recent history of U.S.-Cuba scientific collaboration HERE.
Also check out our recent INTERVIEW with Dr. Mitchell Valdes-Sosa, the U.S.-born director of the Cuban Center for Neuroscience, who argues that the U.S. is “trying to destroy” Cuban science.
Havana, May 26 (Prensa Latina) Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez expressed his gratitude today for the many displays of solidarity and support his country received from various latitudes this weekend in rejection of the blockade.
Through the social network X, the chancellor emphasized that while the United States persists in its criminal genocide against the Cuban people, “the solidarity and love of our compatriots and friends is multiplied.”
This Sunday, friends and fellow citizens of the Caribbean nation demonstrated in solidarity from various cities to demand the removal of the economic, trade, and financial blockade.
In Chile, participants in the inter-regional meeting of solidarity with Cuba reiterated their call to lift the blockade imposed by the United States and remove the island from the list of alleged sponsors of terrorism.
During the event, Lautaro Carmona, president of the Chilean Communist Party, highlighted the significance of the Cuban Revolution not only for his country but also for the world, and condemned campaigns attempting to discredit the process.
The political leader described the island’s inclusion on the United States’ terrorist list as unfair and noted that the Caribbean nation, in proportion to its population, provides the most doctors to the world’s populations.
According to reports from the Cuban Foreign Ministry in X, the demands against the blockade and support for the island were expressed in Amsterdam and in a solidarity march in Namibia, in which Cubans residing in the African country, medical collaborators, a representation of the Union of Young Communists and Namibians participated.
Since 1992, the international community has ratified its rejection of the embargo at the United Nations, a unilateral policy reinforced to unprecedented levels during the impact of COVID-19 with the clear aim of strangling the Caribbean country’s economy.
Washington, May 26 (Prensa Latina) Former Democratic U.S. Congressman Charles Rangel, a friend of Cuba and supporter of the campaigns to lift the blockade, died today at the age of 94 in a New York hospital.
A founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rangel—born in Harlem on June 11, 1930—served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 to 2017. He was the first African American to chair the influential Ways and Means Committee.
His death was announced by the City College of New York, where, after retiring from Congress in 2017, he served as statesman-in-residence and launched the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative to boost jobs in the Manhattan and Bronx areas he called home.
For many, with Rangel’s departure, an era passes, not only that of a long-serving, sharp, and defiant congressman, but also that of a generation that blazed trails through dignity, courage, and streetwise.
A message sent to Prensa Latina noted that Rangel’s passing is “a great loss,” especially because “he was always a friend of Cuba and of our solidarity campaigns in the United States to end the blockade.”
The issue. The Washington State Clark College Jazz Band planned to visit Cuba to learn about Cuban jazz and share experiences with local music students, but their trip was blocked at the last minute by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
What happened. Clark’s students were going to travel to Cuba through a general “support for the Cuban people” licence, which, unlike a specific license, would not require authorization from OFAC. But when the school tried to send a wire transfer to the tour company organizing the trip, Bank of America froze the money and reported the transfer to OFAC. Clark College requested the funds be released and applied to OFAC for a specific license for the trip. The school’s request was denied by OFAC two days before the group was scheduled to travel.
Jazz “inconsistent” with U.S. policy. OFAC’s March 25th letter denying the license claimed that Clark’s request “to attend several presentations on Cuban jazz music and participate in musical cultural exchanges with Cuban musical students, as described in the Application, would be inconsistent with U.S. Government policy.”
What to make of this. The letter does not explain how cultural exchanges between U.S. and Cuban students are contrary to U.S. policy. It does, however, hint at who made this determination. The OFAC letter to Clark says the decision was made “after careful consideration, including consultation with the U.S. Department of State.” The State Department is headed by Cuban-American hardliner Marco Rubio, who oversees Cuba policy along with his right-hand man, Special Envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone.
Some context. Since Donald Trump’s inauguration, several travelers have reported harassment upon returning to the U.S. Meanwhile, travel from Cuba to the U.S. is also proving difficult. Recently, Cuban music students were denied U.S. visas to visit Berkeley High School.
Mexico City, May 25 (Prensa Latina) The economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba is completely contrary to international law and is abominable given the suffering it has inflicted on millions of civilians, the Mexican newspaper La Jornada stated today.
“Whatever the justification put forward by those in the White House for maintaining and intensifying the blockade, it must be remembered that it is completely contrary to international law,” the prestigious media outlet stated in an editorial.
The newspaper also notes that this siege—condemned annually by the United Nations General Assembly—“is abominable because of the endless suffering it inflicts on millions of civilians who have nothing to do with geopolitical tensions.”
According to the text, Mike Hammer, the top U.S. diplomat in Havana, announced on Friday that “Washington plans to toughen its policy of destroying the Cuban economy, in line with the measures taken” by President Donald Trump.
Since returning to the White House, the Republican has implemented measures such as reinstating the island on the unilateral list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism, tightening regulations on remittances, and canceling immigration programs implemented by the previous administration.
“It’s hard to imagine what new mechanisms the magnate and his subordinates might devise to punish the Cuban population because their authorities don’t submit to the superpower’s dictates,” La Jornada asserts, later referring to Trump’s first term.
“Not only did it undo,” he adds, “all the progress made in the last phase of Barack Obama’s administration” toward détente and understanding, “but it also added new layers of oppression and sadism that have plunged Cuba into a desperate situation.”
In his opinion, if during his first presidential term (2017-2021) Trump’s attack on Cuba seemed driven above all by his fixation on dismantling any Obama-era policy or program, now the virulence has become an organic part of his administration.
This—the editorial, titled Trump vs. Cuba: Hardening Sadism, adds—is due to the presence in the front row of figures such as “Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a member of the most radical and interventionist wing of the Cuban-American community in Florida.”
“Rubio, like Trump himself, continues to view Cuba through Cold War blinders, despite the fact that the Soviet bloc disappeared more than 30 years ago, because, paradoxically, the tycoon cultivates much more sensible relations with Russia than those of his predecessors,” he comments.
“In this way,” he states, “millions of Cubans are becoming victims of the outdated ideological phobias of a political group that has no regard for the liberal democratic institutions in whose name Washington has endeavored to destroy the Cuban Revolution.”
May 25, 2025 #saintkittsandnevis#cuba#solidarityPrime Minister Terrance Drew, from Saint Kitts and Nevis, refers to Cuba’s solidarity in sending medical brigades to countries in the region. teleSUR
Cultural exchange between Cuba and the United States has been one of the Trump administration’s first targets regarding the island.
In August 2024, the U.S. Embassy in Havana reactivated the possibility of processing work and exchange visas, including those for international cultural exchange programs. In February of this year, a month after Trump took office, his administration returned dozens of passports without a visa because they had been processed by Cuban government agencies.
At the time, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío told the AP that with this gesture, the U.S. government “announced that it is suspending the application process for a group of visa categories used for government officials and their agencies,” asserting that the decision “directly affected bilateral exchanges that were taking place in areas of mutual interest and benefit to the peoples of Cuba and the United States, such as culture, health, education, science, and sports.”
This measure not only compromises the ability of Cubans to visit the United States for activities in these areas. Two weeks ago, the federal government canceled a trip to the island for a jazz band from a Vancouver, Washington, school. The Office of Foreign Assets Control informed them in a letter they received as they were preparing for their flight that their trip “would be incompatible with the policy of the United States government.”
In this context, the fact that Pacific Standard Time, the main jazz choir of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach, has managed to reach Cuba and carry out a program of performances and exchanges with Cuban artists and music students, has been something of an oasis in the desert.
Making the visit a reality was in the hands of Royce Smith, Dean of the College of Arts at the university, for whom cultural exchanges have become a life goal for more than a decade.
“I think my interest began with the ban. When someone tells you that you don’t have the right to go somewhere, it sparks interest; it has the opposite effect on the soul of a creative and curious person,” Smith told OnCuba.
A week to change perspectives
“I really feel like my perspective on life has changed,” sums up her experience Maggie Robertson, one of the singers of Pacific Standard Time, made up of 13 voices, a musical base with bass, piano, and drums, and directed by maestro Christine Guter.
During their week on the island, the group gave four concerts in very diverse venues, a program of performances designed to reach diverse audiences: the Hotel Claxon, the University of the Arts, the National Museum of Fine Arts Theater, and the Fábrica de Arte Cubano.
Section 3 of the Fábrica de Arte Cubano was the venue for Pacific Standard Time’s last concert in Cuba. Photo: Lied Lorain.
The high quality of their musical proposal is unquestionable and is backed by 14 consecutive years of winning the DownBeat Student Music Awards, the most prestigious awards in jazz education in the United States.
“I like to choose repertoire that is inspiring, uplifting, and healing. It’s important for musicians to also be healers, because the world is so conflicted right now, and we want to contribute something good,” says Christine Guter, who, like the rest, was visiting Cuba for the first time.
Cuban percussionist Yaroldy Abreu gave a master class for the members of the U.S. jazz choir. Photo: Lied Lorain.
The group went to the Manuel Saumell Elementary Music School, exchanged with the Cuban National Choir at its headquarters, attended a concert by Isaac Delgado, and received master classes in popular music and Cuban percussion with musicians from the Los Van Van band and Yaroldy Abreu.
Every minute was made the most of to make this a tour of true appreciation for Cuba and its culture.
“We love Latin music, and Cuban music and jazz are very intertwined. We have a lot to learn about Cuban music and culture. I thought it would be a truly wonderful opportunity to learn from you and to share our music with you. It has been incredible, nothing we could have imagined,” Guter said.
Christine Guter, director of the Pacific Standard Time jazz choir. Photo: Lied Lorain.
Theirs is a collective approach that manifests itself in diverse ways, as each member takes home a personal experience.
For Ace Homami, one of the voices of PST, what impressed him most was “the people, the music, the art in general, which is not only within the art scene itself, but throughout Cuba. There have been so many moments where I’ve looked around and thought how incredibly lucky I am to be here to experience this culture, this atmosphere.”
“Being in Cuba has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. It’s been crazy how many things have happened that are so different not only from what happens in the United States, but from what I thought they could be. And it wasn’t just enriching musically, which it was, but enriching for my soul, for my personality, for me socially,” Robertson explains regarding the aforementioned change of perspective.
Perhaps one of the strongest feelings was experienced by Max Smith, the grandson of Cubans who emigrated to the United States in the 1960s. He is the first in his family to travel to Cuba since then. His story was shared on every stage where he performed.
“It’s incredible to be here, to experience this, and to connect with my roots and the culture I’d never been in contact with before. The people here are very generous and have made that connection possible for me; they’ve made me feel welcome,” Max told OnCuba.
Perhaps the most meaningful thing for him is the vision of the island in which he landed here and what he has to say upon his return.
“It’s very different from what I’ve been told about Cuba; I think it’s very different from what it was like in the 1960s. I’ve been able to learn a lot about the people, the food, and the music. I’ll tell them to come and see for themselves.”
Max Smith, lead singer of Pacific Standard Time, is the grandson of Cubans, and this trip was his first connection with his roots. Photo: Lied Lorain.
Giving and receiving
In 2011, Royce Smith arrived in Cuba with a group of students to visit the Havana Biennial. Since then, he has included contact with the island in his career as a teacher and curator.
He is currently the Dean of the College of Arts at California State University and has also held this position in the College of Arts and Architecture at Montana State University-Bozeman. He is a professor of art history, and his work as a curator has included him in important biennials, such as the one in Asunción, Paraguay, the one in Curitiba, Brazil, and the one in Havana.
“I started speaking Spanish when I was 12, and my parents taught me that there are many more people who have the right to call themselves Americans, who live in other parts of the Americas, that it is plural. And from that moment on, an interest in exploring that world was born, and Cuba as well,” Smith says.
“I spoke with my students, and we discovered that, using the connection of music and the visual arts, we always had the right to move from the United States to Cuba. The arts have always been the bridge between the two countries. And using that, we have tried, through collaborations with Cubans and Cuban institutions, to create more ties, more opportunities for exchanges,” he says.
Royce Smith, Dean of the College of Arts at California State University, Long Beach, has been leading cultural exchanges between the two nations since 2011. Photo: Lied Lorain.
As a professor and dean, he does his best to allow his students to have experiences like this.
“A university is a space dedicated to developing the wisdom of various disciplines, because artists have to be masters of their own techniques. But the question is how they translate that wisdom to a completely different cultural context, one with its charms, its history, its specific practices and customs.
“And the students learn flexibility, they adapt to the Cuban rhythm. That’s super important, because they have to find, discover another part of their artistic soul to be successful. There’s something that’s been awakened, which I see in their faces, in their way of presenting themselves, of expressing themselves. And that’s truly the gift that Cuba has given them.”
Members of the Pacific Standard Time taking a selfie with students from the Higher Institute of Art in Cuba. Photo: Lied Lorain.
But it’s an exchange; it’s about giving and receiving.
“I always want to dedicate myself to creating a world where we can collaborate. We are neighbors. We share stories, experiences, oppressions, successes, goals, visions, and it’s been that way for hundreds of years. We have to respect each other, be honest, open, listen, and have patience.
“My goal is that through the arts we can soften that relationship a little. We have a responsibility to be leaders in peace, in conversation and dialogue. And I’m committed to doing that with my students, with my own professional practices. And that’s why I love Cuba,” Smith concludes.
The Art Exchange Festival (AEF) emerged in 2023 as an independent initiative seeking to strengthen cultural ties between Cuba and Spain through contemporary art.
Founded by Alejandra González (Alejandra Glez) and Adán Perugorría, this festival has established itself since its first editions as a space for artistic, social and educational exchange. They are currently preparing the 2025 edition, which will be held in Havana from November 4 to 11.
In this interview, the two share the motivations, challenges and future vision of this platform, which is already beginning to make its mark on the international cultural scene.
Festival’s inspiration and origin
What inspired the creation of AEF, and how did the idea of connecting different cultures through art come about?
Alejandra: The idea was born out of the need to create a bridge between Spain and Cuba, two countries that share cultural roots and with which both Adán and I have a deep connection. We envisioned offering opportunities to Cuban artists who often lack access to international stages, but also enabling Spanish artists to discover Cuba’s cultural wealth and share their artistic practices.
Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.
How would you describe AEF’s main mission and what do you hope to achieve in the long term?
Adán: The mission is to promote a set of values through the cultural exchange that takes place thanks to this project, both in Havana and Madrid. We want to grow in these places and expand to other countries, broadening our artistic network to generate a broader and lasting impact.
What does the festival’s program entail?
Alejandra: The program seeks to showcase the cultural reality of each city through visits to local artists’ studios, art universities, galleries, and other spaces of knowledge. This way, participants understand how artists work here, how their educational process works, and exchange techniques before collaborating or holding joint exhibitions.
Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.
Art’s role in intercultural strengthening
What role do you think contemporary art plays in strengthening cultural exchanges and social transformation?
Alejandra: Art is essential for driving social change because it invites reflection and brings people closer to the most sensitive side of humanity. One of the main objectives of the festival is precisely to achieve that connection between people, because we are building a message through these two countries. Thanks to art, there can be exchange, fluidity, and opportunities for these artists.
Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.
Memorable moments
What have been some memorable or transformative moments in past editions?
Alejandra: The most notable are the reactions of both Cuban and Spanish artists. When Spaniards visit Cuba, they fall in love with the country; they truly enjoy the experience. Adán also makes sure everything runs smoothly for them, which makes them want to return every time. They love spending time with local artists, learning about their ideas, and seeing how they improve their techniques.
On the other hand, Cuban artists who travel to Spain have equally enriching experiences. They visit museums, learn about Spanish culture, and many are even moved and cry in front of works of art they only knew from books. These experiences confirm that we are achieving our goal.
Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.
Evolution and scope
How has AEF evolved from its inception in 2023 until now?
Adán: This is a 100% independent festival, born as a personal dream of mine and Alejandra. We’re already in our third edition; we never thought we could do it alone, but we jumped in without much hesitation. We’ve seen the project grow with each edition; today we can say it’s a mature initiative, although there are challenges, such as getting people to trust a project like this and ensuring it can have a real impact on the society where it takes place. But I believe it’s entirely possible. The ultimate idea is to leave a mark on all the people who participate and collaborate with the festival, and I think we’ve achieved that. Many young Cuban artists have managed to exhibit in museums or receive scholarships thanks to the festival; it serves as a platform to catapult their work.
Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.
Financial challenges and community support
What challenges have you faced in organizing a non-profit international festival, and how have you overcome them?
Adán: It’s an independent project that doesn’t seek profit; our goal is to promote art because that’s what we dedicate our lives to. One of the biggest obstacles has been securing funding, because it’s a project that doesn’t produce money, but rather things that are much more important for the soul, but not material ones. To finance the festival, we’ve relied on our own funds, support from embassies, private sponsors, and even donations of works from artists. Everyone who participates contributes out of a love of art, from the artists to those who manage or produce the event.
Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.
Personal motivations
What motivated you personally to dedicate yourself to creating a cultural bridge through art?
Alejandra: My main motivation was experiencing the difficulties I faced within Cuba in accessing artistic opportunities. Once someone gave me the opportunity and I was able to settle in Spain, my host country, I thought about focusing my contacts, my life experience, and my desire to help people on the island, as well as Spaniards who were interested in learning about other realities. I knew that something great could emerge from that need. So I discussed it with Adán, and it was incredible because we both had a synergy when it came to thinking about the project; thus, the Art Exchange Festival was born.
Adán: I was born into a family of artists; I was always surrounded by art. From a young age, I fought to promote our cultural values. This project was a natural way to continue that fight: to promote Cuban art from an international perspective. My previous experience with national galleries paved the way for me to make it possible.
Adán Perugorría. Photo: MadWoman.
Social impact and local community
How do you think AEF can influence the local and international communities where it takes place?
Adán: When artists come to Havana, they generally stay for a week in a residency above our Gorría Gallery-Workshop, located in Old Havana. There, they live with neighborhood residents; a deep relationship is created between them and the local community. The residents take care of the murals created by the artists because they feel they are part of the project. We have murals in the neighborhood that are over five years old and are still there.
This inclusion within the community and the connection created with people who come from other countries is wonderful. The same thing happens in the exchanges with students, with children, during the workshops we teach. Little by little, this different imaginary is built, that there is much more than just what you see around you, because the world is very big, and we, living on an island, believe that our reality is the only possible one. We think there is nothing beyond the sea, and yes, there is much more.
I believe this festival helps people rethink their personal perceptions and their ideas for the future. I feel that this reflection is one of the most powerful ways we can have an impact on people.
Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.Photo: Courtesy of Art Exchange Festival.
Community building
How important is it to you to create a strong community around the festival?
Adán: The experiences of those who participate are fundamental to our growth; each artist becomes our ambassador to the world: many take our message wherever they go, thus helping to strengthen the festival’s international presence.
Alejandra: Sometimes it feels like we’ve built a big family, because with each edition, bonds are created between the participating artists. They barely know each other when they arrive, and during the experience, they bond with each other, they bond with us. It’s like a family that grows little by little each year.
What would you like the public to understand or feel after learning more about the AEF?
Adán: The idea is for this festival to reach more people. All Cuban artists with artistic interests are invited to join our project. They can visit our website or social media and contact us; we are open to collaborating with anyone interested in joining or learning more about our work.
A living bridge
The Art Exchange Festival represents much more than an artistic event: it is a living bridge between two sister cultures that seek to enrich each other through creative dialogue.
With each edition, Alejandra Glez and Adán Perugorría consolidate their commitment to promoting art as a tool for social and intercultural transformation, leaving an indelible mark on both Cuba and Spain.
Their future vision calls for even greater global expansion — through fostering international artistic networks — while strengthening responsive and inclusive communities wherever it is held.
