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Last week, Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar Rivera (center) received the 2026 Pedro Luis Boitel Freedom Award from Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat (left) of the Cuban Democratic Directorate. Tovar also met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right). Photos courtesy of the Cuban Democratic Directorate and the U.S. Department of State.

Costa Rica Earns Freedom Award For Its Position On Cuba

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Published on Monday, September 21, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar Rivera received the 2026 Pedro Luis Boitel Freedom Award on behalf of Costa Rica on Friday during a ceremony at the Freedom Tower in Miami, in the U.S. State of Florida.

The Pedro Luis Boitel Freedom Award was established by the Cuban Resistance Assembly, an organization of Cubans around the world who went into exile after leaving the island because of their opposition to the government of the Castro brothers, Fidel and Raúl, which has ruled Cuba since 1959.

According to the organization, Pedro Luis Boitel (May 13, 1931-May 25, 1972) was a Cuban poet and dissident who opposed the governments of both Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro. In 1961, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Boitel died during a hunger strike in prison in 1972 while serving a sentence imposed by the communist regime.

The Cuban Resistance Assembly presented the award to Costa Rica in recognition of the country’s position and its decision to break diplomatic relations with the Cuban government.

Costa Rica closed its embassy in Cuba in April 2026, marking a significant downgrading of bilateral relations. “Costa Rica does not recognize the legitimacy of Cuba’s leadership due to repression, deteriorating living conditions and restrictions on fundamental freedoms,” then-President Rodrigo Chaves-Robles said.

The award is an initiative of the Cuban Democratic Directorate. It recognizes individuals, organizations and peoples who stand out in the struggle for freedom both inside and outside Cuba.

The distinction, accompanied by a Cuban flag and the coat of arms of the Republic of Cuba in Arms, was presented to Tovar by Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat of the Cuban Democratic Directorate on behalf of free Cubans.

“Much can be said about what is happening in Cuba, but we must never lose sight of the fact that this is a tragedy with a very real human face, one that divides families. It is a tragedy that has gone so far as to dehumanize its victims, to dehumanize the Cuban people. We cannot accept that this situation has lasted for more than half a century, with entire generations who have known no other reality than repression, fear, scarcity and exile,” Tovar said during his acceptance speech.

“Count on Costa Rica, count on me, and count on the Costa Rican people to continue raising our voices in support of your freedom,” he added.

Cuba has maintained a socialist political system since 1961 based on a one-party structure. Its Constitution defines the country as a Marxist-Leninist socialist republic.

Miguel Díaz-Canel is Cuba’s current head of state, serving as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and president of the country.

According to the United Nations, the Cuban government continues to repress and punish most forms of dissent and public criticism amid a severe economic crisis affecting basic rights, including access to health care and food.

The award ceremony took place during Tovar’s visit to the United States for a series of meetings. During his trip, he also met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week.

The meeting took place in Washington, D.C., where the two countries reaffirmed their bilateral relations.

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Tovar and Rubio agreed on security issues, including efforts to combat organized crime and address migration flows, as well as security risks associated with activities such as illegal mining and irregular fishing, according to Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On economic matters, the meeting also addressed the importance of strengthening markets and value chains in both countries to help create greater employment opportunities.

As part of his agenda in Washington, Tovar also held meetings with U.S. lawmakers, during which they discussed various issues of importance to Costa Rica, the ministry added in its statement.

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How could Cubans remove the Communist Party from power without the support of the army? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com