The Cuban writer and academic Enrique del Risco urged the international community to pressure foreign companies that maintain trade ties with the Cuban regime during his speech at the Oslo Freedom Forum 2025, recently held in the Norwegian capital.
Del Risco, who has been in exile in the United States since 1997 and is a professor at New York University (NYU), directly pointed to hotel chains such as the Spanish Meliá and the Canadian Blue Diamond, accusing them of financially supporting the Cuban government.
“We cannot expect the regime to relinquish power voluntarily, not even partially. Not even to show basic respect for human rights. But we can exert pressure on the regime and on all the companies that support it, such as the Spanish chain Meliá or the Canadian company Blue Diamond,” said the intellectual.
Moreover, the author of "Nuestra hambre en La Habana" denounced the systematic repression on the island, exemplified by the imprisonment of dissenters such as José Daniel Ferrer, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, and Maykel Osorbo, the latter having been awarded two Grammy Awards while remaining in prison.
Del Risco also mentioned cases such as that of Lizandra Góngora, mother of five children, sentenced to 14 years in prison for participating in the protests on July 11, 2021.
During his speech, the writer emphasized the paradox of a nation in poverty while luxurious hotels are being built for international tourism. "The nation is dying now, but the regime remains strong thanks to support from capitalist companies and tyrannies around the world," he stated.
Del Risco, who left Cuba in 1995 and sought political asylum in Spain before settling in the United States, has dedicated his career to exposing human rights violations in his homeland. His work combines historical analysis with humor and social critique, addressing themes such as censorship, repression, and exile.
The Oslo Freedom Forum, organized annually by the Human Rights Foundation since 2009, brings together activists, journalists, and opinion leaders from around the world to discuss the promotion of freedom and human rights.
In this year's edition, the Cuban artist Otero Alcántara was also awarded the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent, in recognition of his work in defense of freedom of expression in Cuba.
Del Risco's intervention concluded with a call for international solidarity: "We can show our solidarity with all the people who are imprisoned for defending the same rights that we take for granted here, demand their unconditional release, and send all possible aid."
Their participation in the forum reinforces the visibility of the situation in Cuba and the need for concrete actions by the international community to support those who are fighting for freedom and human rights on the island.
Boycott of Meliá: Cuban civil society raises its voice against corporate complicity
The Spanish hotel chain Meliá Hotels International currently manages 32 hotels in Cuba, which represents a significant part of its presence on the island.
This collaboration has been criticized by activists and members of Cuban civil society, who argue that these foreign companies contribute to sustaining the Cuban regime financially, allowing it to continue with repression and human rights violations.
Meliá has faced calls for a boycott from activists, exiles, and members of Cuban civil society, who denounce its collaboration with the Cuban regime. These accusations focus on the company's alleged complicity in repression and labor exploitation on the island.
In July 2023, the Cuban singer Yotuel Romero, known for his participation in the song "Patria y Vida", addressed the leader of the Spanish Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, to remind him that the economic interests of large Spanish companies, such as Meliá, are complicit with the dictatorship and hinder the transition to democracy in Cuba.
In March 2022, the Cuban opposition figure Guillermo "Coco" Fariñas and a group of activists staged a protest in front of the Meliá Orlando Hotel in the United States, denouncing the chain's complicity with the Havana regime.
The protesters expressed that "there are many other places to do business and they do not have to do business with the dictatorship." The protest was organized by Cuban entrepreneur and activist Manuel Milanés and involved the participation of various organizations from the Cuban civil society in exile.
In April 2021, Cuban activists residing in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, where the hotel chain is based, also protested in front of the Meliá in that city. Among the participants were representatives from 'Patria y Vida Mallorca' and 'Las Damas de Blanco Libertarias', who attended in support of the demonstration called in Orlando.
In May 2025, Meliá celebrated its 35th anniversary in Cuba, highlighting its collaboration with the regime authorities.
However, this celebration was overshadowed by criticism pointing to the opacity of its association with the Cuban regime, the use of poorly paid labor, and suspicions of corruption.
Employees receive salaries in Cuban pesos, while Meliá pays the State in dollars for its services, leading to allegations of labor exploitation and undue enrichment by the authorities.
Furthermore, the alliance between Meliá and the Cuban regime has been scrutinized for its potential involvement in corrupt practices. The lack of clear information regarding the terms of the contracts and the distribution of profits has fueled suspicions about the integrity of these operations.
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