Five years ago, on August 19, 2020, Cuba marked a historic milestone in its fight against COVID-19. Just months after detecting its first case, the nation unveiled its first vaccine candidate, Soberana, a testament to the strategic foresight of Fidel Castro in developing Cuba’s biotechnology industry. This achievement was rooted in the creation of Havana’s Western Scientific Pole, which adopted a closed-cycle system of research, development, production, and commercialization, enabling rapid scientific progress. Dr. Vicente Vérez Bencomo, Director of the Finlay Institute of Vaccines (IFV), presented the vaccine candidate to President Miguel Díaz-Canel and the National Expert Group for pandemic response. The announcement, though anticipated, renewed hope in Cuba’s scientific capabilities. Clinical trials for Soberana began on August 24, 2020, after receiving authorization from Cuba’s Center for State Control of Medicines (Cecmed). The vaccine’s development was a collaborative effort involving young scientists, institutions like the Center for Molecular Immunology, and the University of Havana’s Faculty of Chemistry. By mid-2021, both Soberana and Abdala, another Cuban vaccine, were authorized for public use. The rapid development and deployment of these vaccines showcased Cuba’s scientific rigor and commitment to sovereignty. Today, IFV continues to innovate, developing pneumococcal and multivalent meningococcal vaccines, while exploring MRNA technology for future epidemic preparedness.