Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar has announced that Rosa María Payá, a Cuban human rights advocate, will be her guest at the 2026 State of the Union address.
Rosa María Payá is known for her work promoting democracy and human rights in Cuba. She is the daughter of Oswaldo Payá, a prominent democracy activist who died after years of opposing the Cuban government. Currently, she serves as a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, where she works to defend freedoms throughout the Americas and honors those who have resisted authoritarian rule.
Rep. Salazar highlighted Payá’s role in advocating for change in Cuba. “As the Cuban regime enters its final hour, the cry for freedom is no longer a whisper. It is a roar,” said Rep. Salazar. “Rosa María Payá embodies the moral courage this dictatorship has tried to crush for decades and failed to extinguish. She stands for truth in the face of repression, for justice in the face of impunity, and for the millions of Cubans who refuse to surrender their right to live in liberty. Her voice is a reminder that tyranny is not permanent, that fear no longer controls the Cuban people, and of the undeniable reality that the regime’s time is running out.”
Payá expressed gratitude for being invited: “I am honored to join Congresswoman Salazar at the State of the Union and carry with me my father’s memory and the voices of millions of Cubans who cannot yet speak freely but are determined to live in liberty,” said Rosa Maria Payá. “Ending the regime is both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity for our hemisphere. The dictatorship has no legitimacy and no future. To my brothers and sisters on the island: you are not alone. La noche no será eterna.”
The invitation comes as U.S. policy toward Cuba remains firm under President Trump’s administration, which has increased pressure on Havana while emphasizing support for democratic reforms.
Salazar represents Florida’s 27th Congressional District, an area with one of America’s largest Cuban exile communities. Before entering Congress, she worked as a journalist reporting on authoritarian governments and giving voice to those affected by repression.
She continues these efforts as a legislator by supporting initiatives focused on human rights and democracy in Cuba.