The Spanish communist and propagandist for the Cuban regime, Ana Hurtado Martínez, was convicted this Wednesday by the court that reviewed the defamation lawsuit filed by Cuban doctor Lucio Enríquez Nodarse, who is based in Spain.
Held on October 1, the civil trial was ready for judgment, and the verdict was announced this Wednesday, stating that "the defendant, Ms. Ana Hurtado Martínez, has committed an unlawful intrusion into the right to honor of Mr. Lucio Enríquez Nodarse."
The ruling, issued by the First Instance Court of Albacete, is not final and can be appealed by the defendant within a period of 20 business days, Enríquez Nodarse explained in a live broadcast on his social media.
The ruling condemns Hurtado Martínez to pay 10,000 euros for moral damages, an amount determined for the harm and suffering caused to the Cuban activist.
Additionally, the ruling requires the convicted party to "publish at her own expense, in the same media outlets where the expressions that have violated the claimant's right to honor were disseminated, the ruling of the sentence that concludes this procedure, within ten days of being requested, once it becomes final."
"The legal costs are imposed on the defendant," concludes the ruling, thereby requiring the defendant to bear the plaintiff's attorney fees as well as other expenses incurred during the proceedings.
Absent throughout the entire process, Hurtado Martínez is currently residing in Cuba, where he conducts propaganda work through his social media and in official media outlets such as Cubadebate.
In the hearing held at the beginning of October, her representative declared her "guilty" and accepted the accusations of defamation against her, although she defended that her statements against Enríquez Nodarse were protected by her right to freedom of expression.
Known for his strong stance in defense of human rights in Cuba, the Cuban doctor and activist filed a lawsuit against the Spanish woman for her social media posts in which she defamed and slandered him, repeatedly calling him "little doctor trafficker," "terrorist," and "delinquent."
The judicial process, which has garnered significant interest among the Cuban exile community—particularly among those who oppose the regime and see Hurtado Martínez as a defender of the Cuban dictatorship—could set an important precedent in handling defamation cases related to the actions of regime supporters abroad.
Still pending ratification, the ruling is just another chapter in the long list of controversies surrounding Hurtado, who has been criticized for her defense of the regime and her ongoing attacks on opponents and Cuban activists.
The activism of the Cuban doctor residing in Spain is well known and has led him to more than one clash with representatives of the regime in this country.
Enríquez Nodarse and his colleague Emilio Arteaga Pérez were allegedly assaulted by Cuban diplomatic staff in Spain in May 2023 while they were protesting during a concert by the duo Buena Fe at the Madrid venue Galileo Galilei.
After reporting the incident to the police station, the doctor expanded the complaint upon identifying one of the attackers as the consul of Cuba in Madrid, Ulises Enrique Oliva Suárez. Photographs taken of Enríquez Nodarse confirmed the injuries caused by the assault on his face, showing various bruises that evidenced the blows he received.
Due to the complaint, Consul Oliva Suárez was added to the list of Cuban Repressors by the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FDHC).
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