Political prisoner José Gabriel Barrenechea bid farewell to his deceased mother under strict surveillance in Encrucijada

Cuban political prisoner José Gabriel Barrenechea Chávez was briefly transferred this Monday at 5:00 AM from prison to say goodbye to his deceased mother, Zoila Chávez, in the municipality of Encrucijada, Villa Clara province.

The event, under heavy surveillance, lasted less than an hour, as reported by independent journalist Camila Acosta in a post on Facebook.

“Her jailers kept their promise: she would only see him dead,” wrote Acosta, who also lamented what he described as an extreme act of cruelty against a mother who only wished to see her son before passing away.

Zoila, whose health had drastically worsened in recent days, passed away this Sunday without being able to reunite with him in this life.

Barrenechea was taken to the wake, without contact with the press or the opportunity for a dignified and private farewell, the journalist emphasized.

Once the brief moment was over, he was returned to his cell, where, according to Acosta, "he must be thinking about his mother, that he will never be able to hug her again."

“That's the worst punishment their jailers could give him. They have the man destroyed,” wrote Acosta, expressing his sorrow over a story that has touched deep chords in Cuban civil society.

The case of José Gabriel Barrenechea has generated significant concern both inside and outside of Cuba.

For example, the Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugás, known for his activism in defense of human rights in Cuba, expressed his outrage after the death of Zoila, to whom the regime denied the opportunity to say goodbye to her son while he was alive.

Intellectual and independent journalist, Barrenechea was detained in 2024 and sentenced for the crimes of contempt and disobedience.

Various organizations within the Cuban exile community and international bodies have demanded her immediate release in recent days, particularly following the worsening of the family situation, which culminated in Zoila's passing.

The death of his mother, the regime's refusal to grant him a visit before her passing, and the strict application of prison protocols have sparked a wave of outrage among activists and social media users, who view these events as a manifestation of the routine cruelty against political prisoners on the island.

In April, several human rights organizations reported on the situation of Zoila Chávez and the emotional impact that forced separation had on her and her son.

Despite requests for Barrenechea to see her while she was alive, the Cuban authorities did not comply.

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