The Cuban-American congresswoman María Elvira Salazar urged the international community not to continue ignoring the crimes of the Cuban regime.
"¡The dictatorship acts like a mafia, and the world cannot turn a blind eye any longer! We demand the immediate release of José Daniel Ferrer, Félix Navarro, and all political prisoners on the island!" said the Republican on X.
Salazar echoed a letter in which dozens of national and international organizations demand the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners in Cuba, particularly the opposition figures José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro.
The call was initiated by the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and supported by entities such as Freedom House, Prisoners Defenders, People in Need, Civil Rights Defenders, as well as by solidarity organizations from Latin America and the Cuban exile community.
The case of José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro
Ferrer and Navarro were recently arrested and sent back to prison for alleged violations of parole, in a context marked by the intensification of state repression.
Both Ferrer and Navarro were released last January following an agreement between the Cuban regime and the Vatican, in an operation that also benefited another 230 political prisoners under a prison-house arrest regime.
However, his return to prison just hours after the funeral of emeritus Pope Benedict XVI demonstrates that these releases were not a gesture of openness, but rather a repressive pause, as evidenced by the wave of short-term arbitrary detentions that continues to affect dissenters.
The signatory organizations recalled that the cases of Ferrer and Navarro, as well as those of more than 1,150 current political prisoners, are part of a policy of systematic repression, documented by UN agencies and international NGOs, which have reported violations of due process, mistreatment, and imprisonments on grounds of conscience.
Frequently asked questions about the political situation in Cuba and political prisoners
Who are José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro?
José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro are well-known Cuban opponents and human rights activists. Ferrer is the leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and Navarro is the vice president of the Council for Democratic Transition in Cuba (CTDC). Both have been jailed multiple times for their political activism against the Cuban regime.
Why have Ferrer and Navarro been arrested again?
José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro have been arrested for alleged violations of probation. Ferrer was accused of failing to appear before a judge following his release, and Navarro for leaving his municipality without permission. However, these arrests are widely seen as politically motivated and part of a strategy by the Cuban regime to suppress dissent.
What has María Elvira Salazar said about the situation in Cuba?
The Cuban-American congresswoman María Elvira Salazar has been a vocal critic of the Cuban regime. Salazar has urged the international community not to ignore the crimes of the Cuban dictatorship and has demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Ferrer and Navarro. She emphasizes that the regime operates like a mafia and that the world must not continue to look the other way.
What is the international impact of the arrests of Ferrer and Navarro?
The arrests have prompted international condemnation, including statements from the United States government and the European Parliament, which have expressed concern over human rights violations in Cuba. Human rights organizations have also denounced the systematic repression and called for the release of all political prisoners on the island.
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