Miguel Díaz-Canel sent an official letter of congratulations to Daniel Ortega on Wednesday to mark his 81st birthday, praising the Nicaraguan dictator as someone who "embodies the best ideals of independence and justice" and expressing gratitude for his "unwavering solidarity with the Cuban Revolution."
In the letter, dated in Havana and addressed to Ortega as "Co-President of the Republic of Nicaragua," the Cuban leader framed the bilateral relationship in ideological terms: "The struggle against Yankee imperialism for the freedom of our peoples has granted us the privilege of knowing valuable comrades like you."
Díaz-Canel also recalled the centenary of Fidel Castro—commemorated on August 13—to emphasize the historical ties between Cuba and the Sandinista National Liberation Front: "On Fidel's centenary, we cannot forget the historic bonds that united him with Nicaragua and the struggle of the Sandinista National Liberation Front."
The letter concludes with a statement of political alignment: "It is part of your legacy, which we will continue to honor, that Nicaragua and Cuba today serve as a benchmark in the struggle for the sovereignty and dignity of our peoples."
The document was shared by the Embassy of Cuba in Nicaragua through its account on X (@embacubanic).
Also this Wednesday, Raúl Castro sent his own letter to Ortega reaffirming the Cuban-Nicaraguan alliance against what both regimes refer to as the "imperial offensive."
Congratulations arrived just two days after Ortega publicly reappeared on November 9, following 68 days of absence —the longest since his return to power in 2007— at an event in Managua. Media outlets covering the event described the president as visibly weakened and having difficulty walking. The Nicaraguan government did not provide any medical explanation or official statement regarding the absence.
The context in which Díaz-Canel celebrates Ortega is that of a regime besieged by serious international accusations. The UN Human Rights Experts Group has verified 161 cases of enforced disappearance and eight deaths in state custody in Nicaragua since April of this year.
The Memory and Justice Association for Nicaragua reported 72Political prisoners —33 of whom are forcibly disappeared— as of October 23rd.
Additionally, the U.S. reminded on Monday that Nicaragua should have held elections that day, reiterating its critical stance toward the Ortega and Murillo regime. A constitutional reform passed in October also eliminated the position of vice president and created "presidential designees," consolidating dynastic control over the country.
Far from acknowledging that reality, Díaz-Canel's letter portrays Nicaragua and Cuba as models of "sovereignty and dignity," in a demonstration of the solidarity that unites two of the most challenged dictatorships in the hemisphere.
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