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Minutes after filing a complaint this Tuesday with the Military Prosecutor's Office in Marianao regarding the "illegal search" that took place in his home in Old Havana, the independent artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and his partner, art historian Yanelys Núñez Leyva, were detained.
Otero Alcántara and Núñez Leyva claimed in their complaint that the sector chief of the National Police in their area and his companions violated the law by seizing several bags of construction materials.
"I filed this complaint with the goal of pressuring and highlighting the abuses committed by the authorities without consequences. I cannot stand idly by because I want those materials I had legally back," the artist stated to DIARIO DE CUBA.
After filing the complaint and leaving the premises around three in the afternoon, both were arrested. Núñez managed to call DDC to inform them that they were being detained while trying to catch a ride home. Additionally, he had time to mention that they were being taken to the police unit at Zapata and C.
They were released hours later
Both were released on the same day, as they both reported on their Facebook accounts.
The detention aimed to "intimidate" the artist so that he would not carry out the #00Bienal de La Habana, one of his artistic proposals.
This event is an alternative that Otero has been organizing in response to the cancellation of the official event of the same name, aiming to confront the cultural institutions that decided to postpone the celebration of the 13th Havana Biennial, which was scheduled for last month.
Despite the efforts and ongoing harassment, Otero and his team have confirmed that the #00Bienal de La Habana will take place from May 5 to May 15, 2018, with the aim of promoting the rise of culture on the Island and without the support of governmental entities.
With information from Diario de Cuba
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