Ana María Mari Machado, Vice President of Cuba’s National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP) and Council of State, led the island’s delegation on Thursday at the 12th Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum held in Madrid, Spain.
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According to reports by the newspaper Granma, the gathering brought together top legislative officials from Ibero-American nations and was organized by the Spanish Cortes Generales as a lead-up event to the 30th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The opening session was attended by King Felipe VI of Spain; the President of the Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengol; the President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán; Ibero-American Secretary General Andrés Allamand; and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.
In his address, King Felipe VI highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and the unity of Ibero-American peoples during a day dedicated to dialogue among the region’s legislative representatives.
Ana María Mari Machado spoke at a panel titled Gender Equality and Closing the Gaps, where she outlined the progress Cuba has made regarding women’s rights and participation.
“Gender equality, women’s empowerment, and the eradication of all forms of violence and discrimination against women are causes that Cuba fully champions,” stated the Vice President of the Cuban Parliament.
#DePaís | El evento reúne en España a representantes legislativos de 22 países para abordar temas como: retos de la Inteligencia Artificial, democracia, igualdad de género y diplomacia parlamentaria.https://t.co/BcXx8K6GZC
— Diario El Salvador Sección Política (@De_Politica_ES) October 2, 2026
The text reads, “The event brings together legislative representatives from 22 countries in Spain to address topics such as the challenges of artificial intelligence, democracy, gender equality, and parliamentary diplomacy.”
The Cuban official noted that combating all forms of discrimination against women across various sectors of society is a priority for the Cuban State and Government. She also highlighted the 2021 approval, via Presidential Decree, of the National Program for the Advancement of Women. As she explained, this program constitutes the state agenda for developing policies in favor of women and continues the transformations driven forward since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution.
The leader also mentioned the creation of the National Government Mechanism tasked with monitoring the program and underscored the leadership and coordinating role of the Federation of Cuban Women.
Regarding the parliamentary sphere, she noted that women make up 57.4 percent of the deputies in the National Assembly of People’s Power—a figure that, according to official data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, ranks Cuba second globally for female representation in legislative bodies.
During the forum, the Vice President of the National Assembly denounced the adverse effects caused by the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government, describing it as a form of collective punishment against the Cuban people.
She also pointed to the intensification of the Trump administration’s policies, the energy blockade, and the secondary sanctions applied against the island. In this context, she expressed gratitude for the solidarity shown by Spanish parliamentarians and citizens who condemn that policy.
The text reads, “National Assembly of Cuba (@AsambleaCuba) on X @anamarianpp, Vice President of the @AsambleaCuba🇨🇺, held a cordial exchange with deputies from various parliamentary groups of the Congress of Deputies of #Spain”
The Cuban delegation held meetings with lawmakers from Spain’s Congress of Deputies and Senate. Mari Machado met with Enrique Santiago, Deputy Spokesperson for the Sumar Parliamentary Group; with representatives from other parliamentary groups; and with Concepción Andreu Rodríguez, Second Vice President of the Spanish Senate. During those meetings, he conveyed greetings from the President of the National Assembly of People’s Power, Esteban Lazo Hernández, and addressed current national issues, including the implementation of economic and social transformations and Cuban legislative activity.
The delegation also held discussions with Andrés Allamand and Carles Ensenyat Reig—trade union leaders from Andorra—who acknowledged the collaboration of the Cuban medical brigade during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cuban delegation also included Cuba’s ambassador to Spain, Marcelino Medina.
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