The Cuban activist Rosa María Payá did not rule out on Wednesday the possibility of aspiring to the presidency of Cuba in a potential democratic scenario.
When directly asked about a possible candidacy during an interview with Gloria Ordaz on the program "Encuentro Virtual" from Telemundo 51 , Payá responded cautiously yet with determination:
"If my name is going to be on that list, it will be a decision made in due time."
And he added: “What is certain is that I want to be part of this liberation process.”
Payá summed up the spirit of the moment with a phrase that defines his stance:
"Cubans have a plan and the responsibility to undertake the transition that Cuba urgently needs."
The activist, daughter of the late Oswaldo Payá, emphasized that there is already a structure in formation to lead the process of change.
"This provisional team to bring free elections to Cuba is growing, and the exile community is part of it," he stated.
The immediate context of these statements is the formal recognition of the Liberation Agreement by the Florida Senate, through a proclamation issued yesterday by Senator Alexis Calatayud, from District 38 of South Miami-Dade, who described it as "the path to freedom and democracy in Cuba" and represents the first formal state legislative support for the plan.
Payá thanked the gesture and described it as "a vital step in recognizing that a free Cuba is of utmost interest to Florida, the U.S., and the world."
The Liberation Agreement was signed on March 2 in Miami by the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance and Steps for Change along with more than 30 exile organizations.
It proposes three phases: liberation (which includes the end of the regime and the release of more than 1,000 political prisoners); stabilization with a plural provisional government; and democratization, with freely held elections supervised internationally.
It envisions a provisional council of 51 members as a transitional Parliament and an Executive with a president and two vice presidents.
Days earlier, Payá participated in the exile gathering at Bayfront Park under the slogan "United for a free Cuba," where he urged governments around the world to join forces with Washington under the leadership of Trump and Rubio.
In parallel, Freedom House announced that Rosa María Payá has been awarded the Alfred Moses Freedom Prize 2026 - the ceremony is scheduled for May 20 - in recognition of her advocacy for Cuban political prisoners.
Payá, who in 2025 became the first Cuban opposition member elected to the IACHR, dedicated the award "to the brave Cuban people who continue to resist tyranny" and to every political prisoner.
In the current political climate of fervor and plans for the future of Cuba, another activist has strongly added her voice to the debate: Amelia Calzadilla recently announced from Madrid the founding of the Cuban Orthodox Liberal Party, a center-right organization inspired by the ideals of José Martí and free market policies.
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