Elián González, Cuban Deputy, Warns of “Worst Siege” During Spain Visit

Elián González, the former “balsero” who gained worldwide attention in 1999, is now a 32‑year‑old deputy in Cuba’s National Assembly of People’s Power. Elected in 2022 through a nomination by grassroots organizations in his home municipality of Cárdenas, he says he never sought politics but was chosen by his community.

In July he travelled to Spain at the invitation of the State Movement of Solidarity with Cuba (MESC) and was hosted by the Gijón Noir Festival. During his visit he told Spanish audiences that the Cuban people are “tired but know where the evil lies,” condemning what he described as the “worst, medieval‑style siege” on the island. He criticised U.S. media coverage, linked the lack of Spanish public awareness to media bias, and compared Cuba’s situation to the Palestinian cause, urging greater international solidarity.

González also addressed domestic reforms, noting that some observers see President Miguel Díaz‑Canel’s policies as a shift toward capitalism or a surrender to U.S. pressure, while he frames them as necessary responses to the current crisis.