Rep. María Elvira Salazar Announces Rosa María Payá as State of the Union Guest

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) announced that Rosa María Payá will join her as her guest to the 2026 State of the Union.

Rosa María Payá is a Cuban human rights leader and the daughter of the late democracy advocate Oswaldo Payá, who was killed after years of peacefully challenging the Castro dictatorship.

Today, Rosa María carries that legacy forward, leading the call for justice, accountability, and a democratic transition in Cuba. She currently serves as a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, where she continues to defend fundamental freedoms across the hemisphere and ensure the sacrifices of those who stood up to tyranny are never forgotten.

"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."

"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."

Her presence at the State of the Union comes at a consequential moment for the Cuban people, as President Trump and his administration increase pressure on the regime and reaffirm the United States' commitment to advancing freedom and democratic accountability in the hemisphere.

As the daughter of Cuban exiles and the Representative of Florida's 27th Congressional District, home to one of the largest Cuban exile communities in the nation, Rep. Salazar's advocacy is grounded in both personal history and the voices of her constituents. Before serving in Congress, she spent decades as a journalist reporting on authoritarian regimes and amplifying the stories of those silenced by repression. 

Today, Rep. Salazar continues that mission on Capitol Hill, standing in steadfast solidarity with the Cuban people and advancing efforts that promote human rights, accountability, and democratic restoration on the island.