Just hours before the fourth anniversary of 11J, the Cuban regime has reactivated its repressive machinery with a new political move: the updating of its controversial National List of Individuals and Entities Linked to Terrorism, which now includes 62 individuals and 20 organizations.
Among the most prominent names are influencers, opposition figures, and exiled activists who have been denouncing the government's abuses for years through digital platforms.
During the press conference announcing the list, Colonel Víctor Álvarez Valle from the Ministry of the Interior introduced a term that raises alarms: "cyberterrorism", a category that encompasses those who make "excessive use of social media to incite violence, attack government entities, and create discredit".
“No one is escaping anymore who, for one reason or another, stands up [to the revolutionary process]”, warned the official spokesperson in a statement that signifies an even more restrictive turn against digital dissent.
Among the most well-known in the list are Alexander Otaola, Ana Olema Hernández, Eliecer Ávila, Ultrack, Manuel Milanés, Orlando Gutiérrez Boronat, and Alain Lambert (Paparazzi Cubano). All of them are content creators with high visibility on social media and staunch critics of the regime, followed by thousands of Cubans both on the island and abroad.
However, resolution 13/2025 from the Ministry of the Interior, published in the Official Gazette, does not provide public evidence to support the accusations. Many of the allegations are based on vaguely described events, some even occurring in the 1990s and 2000s, and on supposed "criminal investigations" whose details remain concealed.
As part of the regime's media apparatus, spokesperson Humberto López used a segment on state television to issue a barely veiled warning. "Very soon we will show concrete examples of individuals involved here on national territory with these terrorists. Terrorists who, from the comfort of a distance, are using people here as cannon fodder...", said López, suggesting that new repressive cases are being prepared against Cubans residing on the island who interact with exiles.
The commentator seized the opportunity to dramatize the inclusion of names on the list, such as the case of Armando Labrador Coro, whom he unreservedly labeled as a member of "the terrorist organization Cuba Primero."
“I’ll stop there. Expect news very soon”, he concluded, in a tone more befitting a prosecutor than a journalist, fueling the atmosphere of fear and threat.
Analysts and human rights organizations argue that the use of the term "terrorism" aims more to intimidate than to deliver justice. Criminalizing dissent, especially from exile, becomes a strategy to silence uncomfortable voices and reinforce the narrative of external threats.
The case of Alexander Otaola is paradigmatic: when he was first included on the list in 2023, he responded with irony: “Canel, look at what I do with extradition: I wipe myself with it,” he said while showing a roll of toilet paper with the face of the Cuban leader.
Despite the dramatic nature of the accusations, the list has no real legal effects outside of Cuban territory. In 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain confirmed to CiberCuba that it had no official knowledge of this list and that there were no alerts at European airports regarding the individuals mentioned. The same situation occurs in Latin America, where several of the accused have been able to travel without hindrance.
Even the mention of Interpol's red notices has not been accompanied by evidence or confirmations from the international organization. There has also been no official response from the U.S. government, although during the conference, high-ranking Cuban officials accused Washington of protecting those who, according to them, "plan actions for terrorism from its territory."
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