Concern grows over the health of political prisoner Yasmany González: “He looks like a skeleton.”

The wife of Cuban political prisoner Yasmany González Valdés publicly denounced the alarming physical deterioration that the activist is experiencing inside the Combinado del Este prison in Havana.

" My husband looks like a skeleton; when I hug him, I can feel the bones of his shoulders, his sunken face, and his arms that are like twigs," wrote his wife, Ilsa Ramos, in a social media post. "His pants fall down, and he's missing all the pieces of his mouth," she added after recently visiting her husband in prison.

Ramos alerted that the activist suffers from intense toothaches that are "unbearable despite having antibiotics and ibuprofen," medications that have been managed to reach him with family support. He also reported that González was arrested before receiving a scheduled and paid dental treatment. "State Security took him away like that to Villa Marista and then to the Combinado del Este without medical attention," he reported.

The overall situation in the prison worsens its condition. “In the prison complex, they cut off the electricity because they don't have oil to power the plant. This is dangerous in a facility where there are violent inmates,” Ramos pointed out. Ultimately, she held the Cuban regime accountable: “I hold the dictatorship responsible for my husband’s physical integrity.”

The alarming physical condition of the activist coincides with the reports about the drastic reduction in food rations in Cuban prisons. “Yes, he says they reduced them because there are many prisoners and there isn't enough food. This started in January,” Ramos had previously stated to CiberCuba. Reports indicate that rice rations have dropped to just 50 grams, and the quality of the food is extremely poor, with a severe shortage of basic products like soap and toothpaste.

A birthday in prison

On September 2, Yasmany González turned 33 years old while incarcerated in Combinado del Este. His wife shared a message on social media reaffirming her love and convictions: "No one can prevent us from being free in our thoughts; no dictatorship can lock away our desires for freedom," she wrote. She referred to him as "Yasmany the Free" and expressed her hope of reuniting with him soon: "I know we will celebrate many more birthdays together, because that is what is right, my love."

Arrested for painting signs against the regime

González was arrested in April 2023 after writing anti-government slogans on walls in Havana. In a social media post, his wife displayed the exact location on the Malecón where he wrote: “I do not vote in a dictatorship. The 75 live on,” referring to the activists imprisoned during the Black Spring of 2003.

For that action, he was accused of "enemy propaganda" and brought to trial in February 2024, where the prosecution requested six years in prison. According to the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, the trial was based on handwriting evidence confirming his authorship of the graffiti. His wife denounced the process as a "judicial circus."

During his imprisonment, González has suffered serious health issues and abuse. In February of this year, he was identified among the political prisoners who attempted to take their own lives due to the abuse endured in prison and the lack of guarantees in the judicial process.

Record number of political prisoners in Cuba

The case of Yasmany falls within a context of widespread repression. According to a recent report from Prisoners Defenders, Cuba ended August 2025 with 1,185 political and conscience prisoners, the highest number recorded to date. Of these, 472 have serious untreated illnesses and 41 suffer from severe mental disorders.

The organization has also documented 91 reports of abuses in Cuban prisons just in July, including two deaths in state custody, psychological torture, beatings, and deliberate denial of medical care.

International reactions

The international community has intensified its condemnation of the Cuban regime due to the situation of political prisoners. In a recent statement, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the U.S. Department of State described the Cuban government as "tyrannical" and demanded their immediate release. It also denounced the lack of medical attention for imprisoned dissidents such as Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara.

Meanwhile, Ilsa Ramos's voice continues to resonate on social media as a testament to love, resistance, and advocacy. "Blessings to my brothers and freedom for our prison island," she concluded her message.

Frequently Asked Questions about the situation of Yasmany González and political prisoners in Cuba