Exiled Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara accepts 2026 Democracy Award

This is a recognition for those who are still fighting for Cuba, who are still inside Cuba. There are over a thousand political prisoners still in Cuba who are fighting for their struggle. This award will serve as a reminder that that sacrifice needs to be taken into account, that Cuban civil society needs to be heard, needs to be taken into account, that the voices of those women, of those people who are fighting on the streets of Cuba needs to be taken into account. Another important thing to say, just less than two months ago, I was in a jail cell, not knowing what my future was going to be. Thanks to the work of many institutions, many people around the world that contributed, that the Cuban dictatorship would not kill me, would not kill us. We are here today to raise our voices for the millions of Cubans who are still captive on the island and for the thousands that are behind prison bars. I received this award also on behalf of my brother, Michael Osorbo, who is a symbol of resistance and a symbol of those who continue to fight inside Cuba for freedom. Michael Osorbo should be here with us tonight and I want this award to serve as a monument that should be engraved in the conscience of everyone here of injustice being done to him. I accept this award and I have committed myself to also make an artwork, a statue that I will donate to NED to return the gesture. I will make the sculpture.