---
title: "Panama’s Havana School Reappears in Cuba’s Political Messaging"
date: 2026-04-11
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/panama-havana-school-cuban-messaging/
categories:
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "Cuba"
  - "Diaz-Canel"
  - "Edward Pitty Madrid"
  - "Havana"
  - "Panama"
  - "solidarity with Panama"
---

# Panama’s Havana School Reappears in Cuba’s Political Messaging

## What Happened

A Panama-linked school in Havana has been drawn into Cuba’s political messaging after a visit by Miguel Díaz-Canel, who used the occasion to reinforce a narrative tied to Fidel Castro and Raúl Castro. The event centered on the school known as “Solidarity with Panama,” which has long carried symbolic weight in relations between Panama and Cuba.

The presence of Panama’s ambassador to Cuba, Edward Pitty Madrid, added a diplomatic dimension to the visit. The school celebration was presented in a way that turned a routine educational setting into a public display of political memory and bilateral symbolism.

## Why the School Matters

The “Solidarity with Panama” school is more than a classroom building in Havana. Its name connects it to a history of solidarity and ideological ties that Cuba has often highlighted in its foreign policy messaging. References to the school as one “founded by Fidel and attended by Raúl” reflect the way Cuban officials continue to frame institutions through the legacy of the Castro era.

For Panama, the appearance of its diplomatic representative at the event underscores the continuing formal relationship between the two countries. It also shows how Panamanian symbols and institutions can be incorporated into Cuban state narratives during public celebrations and official appearances.

## Political Context

Díaz-Canel’s participation fits a broader pattern in which Cuba uses schools, anniversaries, and public ceremonies to promote revolutionary history and political continuity. In this case, the school became a stage for that message, with the Panama connection serving as a bridge between domestic propaganda and foreign diplomatic imagery.

The event also highlights how education institutions in Cuba can be used for political symbolism, especially when they carry names tied to international solidarity. For Panama, the episode places its name within a setting shaped by Cuban state ideology rather than by Panamanian domestic affairs.

## What It Means for Panama

While the event took place in Cuba, it reflects the way Panama’s image can appear in regional political narratives beyond its borders. The involvement of the Panamanian ambassador signals that the relationship remains active at the diplomatic level, even as the school itself functions as part of Cuba’s broader propaganda ecosystem.

For observers in Panama, the episode is a reminder that symbolic ties between the two countries continue to be used in official ceremonies and messaging abroad, especially in Havana where political history and public ritual often overlap.