The Argentine deputy Juan Grabois stated that Miguel Díaz-Canel “will not be taken” from Cuba and asserted that the leader would be willing to resist like Salvador Allende, until the end of his life.
Grabois offered an interview this Tuesday on the program Radio Con Vos, hosted by Alejandro Bercovich, and shared his thoughts after a political activism trip in Havana.
"I did not see a failed state in Cuba. I saw something that was functioning," he said. However, he acknowledged that the country "is on the brink of a serious humanitarian crisis," with issues such as a lack of ambulances, failures in waste collection, and poor food distribution.
"They are going to have to kill until the last one."
In one of the most controversial passages of the interview, Grabois stated: “I see something that I didn't see in Venezuela. In Cuba, there is a determination to uphold sovereignty at any cost. That is to say, they will have to kill every last leader, and they will not be taken away.”
His comment refers to the U.S. military incursion in Caracas on January 3, 2026, which ended with the capture of Nicolás Maduro and facilitated the beginning of the political transition in Venezuela.
Grabois suggested that if a similar scenario were to occur in Cuba, "they will have to kill Díaz-Canel. He will be like Allende with the rifle under the pillow."
The comparison to Salvador Allende, the Chilean president overthrown in 1973 during the military coup led by Augusto Pinochet, introduces a historical parallel rich in symbolism.
There is a common factor in the death of Allende and the capture of Maduro
It is important to remember that the presence of Cuban personnel alongside President Salvador Allende is documented on September 11, 1973, the day of the coup in Chile and his death.
That "Cuban support" focused primarily on his personal guard, known as the Group of Personal Friends (GAP). Most of them were Chileans, but the GAP received training and advice from Cuban intelligence agents. It's a similar case to Nicolás Maduro, whose personal guard was predominantly composed of Cuban officials.
The death of Allende has been a subject of controversy for decades, with some accounts suggesting murder and others concluding it was a suicide. There are also historical debates regarding the presence of Cuban advisors and military personnel in Chile during that period.
However, beyond those discussions, Grabois used the figure of Allende as a symbol of armed resistance against a potential overthrow.
Political support amid the crisis
Grabois's statements come days after his official visit to Cuba, where he met with Díaz-Canel and leaders of the National Assembly of People's Power. He also held a meeting with singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez.
His journey took place during a time of deep economic crisis on the island, characterized by prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, deterioration of basic services, and an unprecedented migratory exodus.
While broad sectors of the population are calling for political changes and freedoms, the Argentine deputy has chosen to publicly support the Cuban leader and emphasize the supposed "steadfastness" of the communist system.
In Argentina, the legislator rejected criticism accusing him of supporting the Cuban regime.
"Then they tell you: 'Oh, you support the Castro-Chavista dictatorship.' Look, buddy, what I'm supporting is peace in Latin America and that a people should not be subdued by hunger," he stated.
Grabois' words have generated backlash among Cubans both inside and outside the country, who interpret his stance as a backing of a model that, far from ensuring prosperity or rights, has kept Cuba mired in a structural crisis for decades.
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