From Díaz-Canel to Kevin Costner: A Dialogue Across Borders
Cuban President Welcomes Kevin Costner at the Palace of the Revolution
On Monday afternoon, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez warmly received American actor, director, and producer Kevin Costner at the Palace of the Revolution. This marks Costner’s second visit to the largest island in the Caribbean, where he is involved in a project centered on underwater archaeology.
Expressing his pleasure in meeting the acclaimed filmmaker, President Díaz-Canel conveyed his deep appreciation on behalf of the Cuban people. “The Cuban people appreciate you very much,” he said, highlighting not only Costner’s artistic achievements but also his commitment to social and environmental causes as reasons for this esteem.
Kevin Costner shared that his time in Cuba has been very enjoyable. “It has been a dream for a long time,” he remarked, adding that he has studied the Caribbean extensively.
During his visit last Tuesday, Costner toured the Castillo de La Real Fuerza Museum in Havana, where he admired the underwater archaeological artifacts on display and expressed his admiration for the colonial architecture of the historic fortress.
The actor also praised Havana’s architecture during his conversation with the President. In response, Díaz-Canel invited him to return for future visits to other significant underwater archaeology sites, such as Santiago de Cuba.
Joining the meeting was Cuban underwater archaeologist and researcher Alejandro Mirabal, known for his dedication to preserving underwater heritage. Mirabal holds a Guinness World Record for diving the most historic shipwrecks — 243 sites to date. Costner shared that he and Mirabal first met over a decade ago in Mozambique, and since then, their friendship has grown.
Kevin Costner’s initial visit to Cuba was in 2001 during the screening of his film 13 Days. During that trip, he had the unexpected opportunity to meet Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz. Reflecting on that encounter, Costner described it as “an experience for life” and expressed his hope that such moments continue to bring the two countries closer together.
