The fifth Patria International Colloquium opened on Thursday in Havana, attended by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and 150 delegates from over 20 countries. The event aims to bolster truth, organization, and cultural resistance against global media manipulation. It runs through Saturday the 18th at the Cultural Station on Línea and 18th.
The colloquium, dedicated to Fidel Castro, was inaugurated in the presence of Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee and President of the Republic, along with Political Bureau members Roberto Morales Ojeda and Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.
Ricardo Ronquillo Bello, president of the Union of Cuban Journalists, described the blockade as a “calculated and genocidal evil” and denounced “communicational violence” that masks other aggressions. Despite economic adjustments, the event proceeds, largely financed by attendees, as proof of a shared cause with the world. Ronquillo Bello urged forging a universal front for a permanent “Operation Truth” to counter what he called the “21st-century communications Bay of Pigs”.
Messages of support came from Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, who emphasized joint efforts against disinformation and the fraternal ties between Russia and Cuba. Ghassan Ben Jeddou, president of Al Mayadeen, praised holding the colloquium despite the blockade and called for coordinated Global South communication.
Panels such as “Cultural Hegemony and Cultural Power” featured Alina Duarte and Renato Rovai discussing algorithms and digital platforms as new global gatekeepers. Afternoon sessions covered technopolitics, artificial intelligence, technological dependence, and digital sovereignty.