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The Cuban activist Rosa María Payá will attend the State of the Union address by President Donald Trump as a special guest, invited by Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, who emphasized her role as a symbol of resistance and defense of human rights in Cuba.
“I am proud to announce that Rosa María Payá will be my guest at the State of the Union Address,” Salazar expressed on social media, where she recalled the figure of the Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá, father of the activist, and stated that his legacy “shaped in Rosa María a strong and combative voice in defense of Cuba's freedom.”
"I carry the voice of millions of Cubans."
For his part, Payá thanked the invitation and assured that he would attend the Capitol representing those on the island who cannot express themselves freely.
“I will enter that chamber carrying my father's memory, yes, and above all the voice of millions of Cubans who still cannot speak freely, but who are determined to achieve it,” she wrote on her social media.
The activist stated that ending the Cuban regime is "not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for the hemisphere," and defended the pressure exerted by the United States on the government of Havana.
"The regime may cling to power, but it has no legitimacy or future," he stated while delivering a message to the Cubans on the island: "You are not alone. The night will not be eternal."
Commissioner of the IACHR
Since 2025, Rosa María Payá has been commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), after being nominated by the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
His election sparked widespread political debate in the region, given his activism against the Cuban government and his profile as one of the most visible figures of the exile community.
Prelude to the first speech of the second term
The invitation comes on the eve of Trump's first State of the Union Address in his second term. The president indicated that his speech will be extensive and focused on the priorities of his agenda.
Payá's presence at the Congress is part of the emphasis that Republican sectors have placed on politics toward Cuba and the pressure against the island's government.
Salazar stated that the activist will be in the Chamber "as a symbol of resistance, dignity, and the certainty that freedom is on its way," and asserted that the Cuban regime "is living its final hours."
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