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Cuban writer and comedian Jorge Fernández Era was arrested this Friday in Havana by State Security agents while preparing to carry out his usual civic protest in Central Park, as he has done on the 18th of each month for the past two years.
His wife, Laideliz Herrera Laza, reported the arrest through her account on Facebook.
"They just detained him at the corner of the house, a patrol with State Security agents. They told me they would take him to the Aguilera Unit," Herrera wrote.
Fernández Era was expected to demonstrate peacefully with the same demands he has been raising over the years: the end of the totalitarian regime, respect for civil rights, and more recently, the denunciation of violations of due process against him by the Revolutionary National Police, the Attorney General's Office, and State Security.
The events of April 18, a symbolic date for several Cuban activists demanding a change in the system, were marked by a new repressive operation.
The home of anthropologist and activist Jenny Pantoja was surrounded by security agents, preventing her from exercising her right to protest.
"Today, like every 18th, I don’t ask, I demand a change of system in Cuba through a transparent process with international observers that allows for a new Constituent Assembly with inclusion, true multilateralism, and diverse political articulation."
The academic Alina Bárbara López Hernández announced that she would be protesting this Friday in her usual location, the Parque de la Libertad in Matanzas. She recalled that it marks one year since her illegal detention, which occurred at the Bacunayagua checkpoint on April 18, 2024, where she was beaten and confined without ventilation in a police patrol car.
On the previous day, the leader of the opposition movement Damas de Blanco, Berta Soler Fernández, and former political prisoner Ángel Moya Acosta were also detained around 2:00 p.m. in the area of La Virgen del Camino in Havana.
Frequently Asked Questions about Repression in Cuba and the Arrest of Jorge Fernández Era
Why was Jorge Fernández Era arrested in Havana?
Jorge Fernández Era was arrested by State Security agents in Havana while on his way to carry out his peaceful protest in Central Park. His arrest is part of a pattern of repression against activists demanding the end of the totalitarian regime and respect for civil rights in Cuba.
What demands were being raised by Jorge Fernández Era during his protest?
Jorge Fernández Era demanded the end of the totalitarian regime in Cuba and respect for civil rights. In addition, he denounced violations of due process against him by the National Revolutionary Police, the Attorney General's Office, and State Security.
What is the context of the protests on April 18 in Cuba?
April 18 has become a symbolic date for several Cuban activists demanding a system change. On this day, several opponents, including Jorge Fernández Era, have faced repression. The Cuban government has intensified repressive operations to silence dissenting voices calling for a transparent process toward a new Constituent Assembly.
What other opposition figures were arrested in the context of the protests in Cuba?
In addition to Jorge Fernández Era, Berta Soler Fernández and Ángel Moya Acosta were also arrested, both iconic figures of the Cuban dissidence. These arrests are part of a sustained strategy by the regime to silence opposition leaders and hinder their visibility and civic mobilization.
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