Ceremony on Capitol Hill honors Cuban dissident’s enduring legacy of faith-fueled resistance and democratic leadership
Washington, D.C., July 22, 2025 — This evening, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) posthumously awarded its highest honor, the Democracy Service Medal, to Oswaldo Payá, one of Cuba’s most principled advocates of peaceful democratic change on the anniversary of his murder by the Cuban regime thirteen years ago. The ceremony, hosted by the NED Board of Directors and held at the Cannon House Office Building, paid tribute to Payá’s unwavering stand against totalitarianism and the movement he ignited for a free Cuba.
Accepting the medal on his behalf were his wife, Ofelia Acevedo, and daughter, Rosa María Payá, who continue to carry forward his work for a free Cuba. Their presence underscored the resilience of the Payá family and the ongoing impact of a movement rooted in faith, dignity, and nonviolent resistance.
The evening’s program featured remarks from Senators Ted Cruz and Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, along with reflections from Payá’s family and a tribute to Harold Cepero, whose father Sabas Cepero attended the ceremony in remembrance. Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, a longtime supporter of Payá’s legacy, was slated to speak but was pulled away at the last minute due to congressional business, with his Chief of Staff César González speaking in his stead. NED Board Member and former U.S. Senator Mel Martinez and Board Vice Chair Ken Wollack—both of whom knew Payá personally—shared personal remembrances that underscored the depth of his impact and the moral clarity of his cause.
“Oswaldo Payá awakened a nation’s conscience through the power of truth and the strength of his convictions,” said Damon Wilson, President and CEO of NED. “His moral courage reflects the spirit of so many partners NED supports around the world—ordinary people who stand up to repression and demand the right to shape their own future. Honoring Payá affirms our commitment to those who, like him, risk everything for the cause of liberty.”
The event, held on the 13th anniversary of Payá’s murder alongside fellow activist Harold Cepero, also marked the 4th anniversary of Cuba’s historic July 11 protests. Their story has reached growing international audiences in recent years, with journalist David Hoffman chronicling their lives in his 2022 book Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death: The True Story of Oswaldo Payá and His Daring Quest for a Free Cuba. The following year, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights determined that the Cuban regime orchestrated the 2012 crash that killed both men.
In honoring Payá, NED underlines its support for frontline democracy advocates around the world—those who, like him, face oppression with principle and turn hope into action. Past Democracy Service Medal recipients include the Dalai Lama, Lech Wałesa, Vaclav Havel, President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, Bishop Silvio José Báez Ortega of Nicaragua, Laura Pollán of the Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) of Cuba, and U.S. congressional leaders Tom Lantos, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, and Nancy Pelosi.
NED Chairman Peter Roskam stated, “This medal represents our deepest respect for those who confront tyranny with truth. Oswaldo Payá’s voice—rooted in faith and freedom—continues to inspire a new generation of democratic leaders in Cuba and beyond.”
The Democracy Service Medal, first awarded in 1999, honors individuals whose steadfast commitment has advanced freedom and human rights around the world. Oswaldo Payá joins this distinguished list not only for his leadership of the Varela Project—which mobilized over 25,000 Cubans to peacefully petition for democratic reform under one of the world’s most repressive regimes—but for a lifetime of moral leadership and nonviolent resistance. As founder of the Christian Liberation Movement, Payá anchored his activism in the belief that human dignity and democratic rights are inseparable, inspiring generations of Cubans to imagine a freer future.
Media inquiries: press@ned.org
