The Anti-Imperialist Tribune is now available for rent for 28,000 pesos per day

The Anti-Imperialist Tribune José Martí, built in front of the United States embassy in Havana as a showcase for the official discourse during the Battle of Ideas, is now also a space for parties, meetings, fairs, and events of all kinds that can be rented for up to 28,000 pesos a day.

According to a note published as “sponsored content” (advertising) on the official portal Cubadebate, the iconic site is making its covered and outdoor areas available for lease by individuals and legal entities for cultural, political, educational, sporting, and “similar” activities.

“The Anti-Imperialist Tribune and Mount of the Flag, a prominent anti-imperialist stronghold that emerged amidst the fervor of the Battle of Ideas, committed to upholding the legacy of its founding principles, is pleased to open its ‘doors’ to the regulatory updates of economic policy in the current 2025,” justifies the announcement that reveals the practical shift that heritage policy has taken in Cuba: where there were once ideological platforms, there are now profitable venues.

Prices for every taste

The venue that once hosted massive gatherings, anti-imperialist speeches, and concerts for ideological reaffirmation can now be used for private presentations, corporate workshops, or institutional parties.

For example, the air-conditioned meeting and activity hall, which accommodates up to 100 people, is rented for 13,741.29 CUP per day. There are also climate-controlled protocol rooms: one for 50 people and another smaller one for 20, both priced at 15,543 CUP daily.

In the evening, the open-air spaces located between these halls can be rented for activities with up to 120 people, at a cost of 28,000 CUP per day.

Additionally, offices are available within the socio-administrative building. The monthly rate is calculated at 340 CUP per square meter, which amounts to 12,240 CUP for a 6x6 meter office and 3,060 CUP for a 3x3.

From a combative stage to real estate asset

The José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune was one of the many ideas of Fidel Castro that entailed a significant expenditure of material resources and hours. Construction began on January 15, 2000, and was completed in 80 days of continuous work, during which 1,988 workers, technicians, architects, and engineers from various provinces worked intensively.

The idea of building that facility emerged from the propaganda campaign known as the Battle of Ideas and the massive mobilizations for the return of the raft child Elián González to Cuba in the year 2000.

The location was chosen for its proximity to the building of the then U.S. Interests Section in Havana (USINT). Since then, it has been the site of marches against the policies of the U.S. government and, in recent years, performances by various music groups from both Cuba and abroad.

In 2019, the site underwent demolition aimed at renovating its design and replacing several deteriorated elements caused by sea salt, such as the flagpoles that served as a “forest” (Mount of the Flags) which obscured the view of several LED screens installed at the Interests Section, where messages supporting human rights were displayed.

At that time, Orestes Llanes Mestres, Vice President of the Provincial Administration Council (CAP) of Havana, explained that the restructuring included “two areas for dressing rooms, meeting rooms, and other facilities, located on the sides, leaving a pathway in the middle that will allow access to the Mount of the Flags. Both will be built on a foundation over one meter high to protect them from flooding, as the old meeting room and dressing rooms were flush with the avenue. Additionally, a parking area is planned.”

But the official stated that “the Tribuna will never become anything other than what it was conceived for: an exceptional platform for the fight against imperialism; it has been a stage where we have fought great battles and celebrated significant victories.”

The restructuring included the dismantling of the metal arches that symbolized the "unity of the Cuban people" that adorned this public space. After two decades enduring the sea salt, the arches were completely corroded by rust and looked like rusty elements in a square that, amidst neglect and the shoddy urban planning of the regime, was the image of a nation stripped bare by the misrule of "continuity".

A monumental reinforced concrete structure in the design of the national flag was erected there, which has been the subject of criticism and mockery from many users on social media who nicknamed it "the guillotine".

The rental of the Anti-Imperialist Tribune presents a stark contradiction between discourse and practice: what has been presented for years as a "sacred" space of sovereignty now turns into a rentable asset amidst the economic crisis. Nevertheless, the regime maintains the same epic language — "roar," "principles," "stronghold" — as if nothing had changed.

It is not merely an economic decision. It is a symbolic concession. Transforming an icon of political resistance into a rental space not only highlights the material crisis but also signifies the exhaustion of the narrative that supported it. And in that silence, the symbolic power is not just rented out: it is lost.

Frequently Asked Questions about Renting the Anti-Imperialist Tribune in Havana