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The Cuban rapper and political prisoner Maykel "Osorbo" Castillo stated that he did not hold any illusions about the recent releases announced by the Cuban regime and sent a message to those benefited by the measure: "Behave well, but do not change your principles."
"Tremendous love for them. It's great that they were given their freedom. They should behave well, but not change their principles. If you change your principles, you lose the concept. Principles are non-negotiable," he declared in a series of phone conversations with writer and journalist Carlos Manuel Álvarez for the magazine El Estornudo.
Regarding the release process that benefited 192 prisoners following an agreement with the United States and the Vatican in mid-January – and which has remained frozen in the last week – it was stated that there is a cold distance regarding the news.
"I am always connected with the trees, with the gods. I haven't even heard of that. I am focused on my nine years, in 2030. That movie doesn't interest me at all," he explained.
Maykel Osorbo, one of the most prominent artists and activists in the Cuban opposition, made it clear that his perspective on life and politics has been profoundly shaped by his imprisonment.
Since 2021, the musician has been behind bars due to his activism against the Cuban regime and claims that he has his mind set on 2030, when he will complete his nine-year sentence.
When Álvarez insists on whether he ever considered being one of the 553 released that the regime promised, Osorbo responds sharply: "No, nothing. If I think about anything else, I'll go crazy."
He explains that for him, the hope of an escape is nothing more than a destructive distraction: "The other day I got caught up in the movie, I was in the yard, and all my muscles tensed up, my blood pressure started to rise," he confesses, recalling how a fleeting illusion led him to a state of tension and desperation. "I think about 2030. If I think of anything else, I go crazy."
"My name is Maykel Osorbo. (...) In the religion, you are osogbo for a time, you are in a bad situation, but later you will become iré, you will be rewarded. With me, that has been lost, it doesn't work. My osogbo is literal, forever. It's definitive," he emphasized.
In mid-January, following an agreement with the Vatican and the United States, Havana promised to release 553 prisoners in exchange for Washington removing it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
At the end of his term, Joe Biden made the expected announcement; and the regime began to release prisoners.
However, one week later, the new U.S. president, Donald Trump, reinstated Cuba on the list; and Havana halted the process of releasing the prisoners.
Frequently asked questions about the situation of Maykel Osorbo and political prisoners in Cuba
Who is Maykel Osorbo and why is he incarcerated?
Maykel Osorbo, whose real name is Maykel Castillo Pérez, is a Cuban rapper and activist known for his opposition to the Cuban regime. He has been imprisoned since 2021 on charges that include contempt, assault, and public disorder, and he has been declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. His imprisonment is widely regarded as arbitrary and part of the Cuban government's repression against dissenters.
What message did Maykel Osorbo send to the released prisoners in Cuba?
Maykel Osorbo sent a message in which he stated: "Behave yourselves, but do not change your principles." Osorbo urged the released prisoners to remain true to their ideals and not to renounce their principles, emphasizing that personal integrity is essential, even after having been freed.
What is Maykel Osorbo's position on his possible release?
Maykel Osorbo has expressed a cold and distant view regarding his possible release, stating that he remains focused on serving his sentence until 2030. Osorbo believes that harboring hopes about his release could be destructive and prefers to concentrate on his current reality.
What has Maykel Osorbo said about his imprisonment and his future?
Maykel Osorbo has mentioned that his situation is like a permanent "osogbo," referring to a concept from the Yoruba religion that means being in misfortune. Osorbo feels that his imprisonment is a dire situation, with no expectations for change until he serves his sentence in 2030, and he has stated that he does not consider himself a superman, but rather someone who faces his fate with strength.
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