The former Cuban political prisoner Luis Enrique Labrador Díaz was involved in a tense scene in Washington D.C. as he intervened while agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were detaining a young migrant.
Labrador streamed the moment live through his TikTok account, where he can be heard encouraging the detained individual and confronting the officers in both English and Spanish.
“Don't be afraid... we are here in Washington, DC,” can be heard saying Labrador as he approaches the scene. “Take it easy, motherfucker, take it easy!” he repeats in a challenging tone to the agents, while urging the community not to be intimidated.
Hours later, the activist confirmed that he was okay and thanked everyone for the support received through the video. “Thank you for all the support, not specifically for me but for the kid who was being detained, as it should be for everyone… That you all see that they are detaining each other supporting one another and not being afraid,” he expressed in another recording.
From political prisoner in Cuba to activist in the U.S.
Labrador Díaz is not a stranger within the Cuban exile community. He was one of the 53 political prisoners released in 2015 following the agreement between the United States and Cuba to normalize diplomatic relations. Since then, he has maintained a stance of frontal activism against the Cuban dictatorship and the lack of freedoms on the island.
In August 2023, he staged a hunger strike in front of the Capitol in Washington, where he remained for several days holding signs that demanded the release of young prisoners in Cuba for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
At that moment, he accused the U.S. government of inaction and urged Cubans both on the island and abroad to unite as one voice against repression.
Criticism of Trump and appeals to the migrant community
In his recent videos, the political prisoner went beyond the specific incident with ICE and questioned the immigration policy of Donald Trump and his allies.
“Do not be afraid of the threats from Donald Trump or that henchman Marco Rubio”… They preach to the world that this is a country where freedom of expression exists, so do not let yourselves be intimidated and raise your voices,” he said.
Labrador denounced that the current Republican administration promotes what he called "genocide, fascism, and racism," and that with these practices, it does nothing but give "oxygen to the dictatorships" that the United States claims to combat.
His intervention in Washington reinforces the image of an activist who, beyond the Cuban cause, seeks to highlight the abuses faced by migrants in the United States, and who emphasizes the necessity of solidarity among communities to resist repression, no matter the source.
Filed under:
