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The political prisoner Andy García Lorenzo identified Roberto Javier Rojo Hernández, one of the oppressors who beat him in prison.
This refers to the first lieutenant of the Guamajal prison, Roberto Javier Rojo Hernández, who struck him on two occasions while he was on a hunger strike in that prison, the young man explained to the independent media Cubanet.
"I was in a cell where they gave you a mattress at night and took it away in the morning. They gave me a wet or urine-soaked cot. At one point, I told the guard [Rojo Hernández] that I couldn't carry the mattress anymore because I was in pain in my kidneys and back. The response was that they ended up dragging me, hitting me on the head. They did what they call 'the wheelbarrow': with your hands behind your back, handcuffed, they place the mattress between your back and your hands, which forces you to bend forward," García recounted.
The next day, the now exposed oppressor beat García again.
"He pushed me, struck me on the head, threw my mattress, dragged me across the floor... I don't even want to remember that. He was the one on duty, in front of the prison that day, and he was the one who took it out on me the most," he recounted.
García explained that Rojo Hernández's abuses were not limited to his own person and that his violent practices earned him a promotion.
"When a guard hits and is abusive, he is promoted because for them that is a sign of loyalty, of reliability," she said.
The repressor was promoted to head of Internal Order of the prison after beating the political prisoner.
"As is usual for those in that position, he instilled fear among the inmates: beating, threatening, engaging in 'the wheelbarrow', breaking or taking away their belongings. It's all a display of strength and impunity; the green uniform makes them feel powerful," he asserted.
Finally, Rojo Hernández was transferred to El Yabú prison, also in Villa Clara, and returned to Guajamal degraded, which the political prisoner believes was a punishment for corruption.
"I suppose it was due to corruption. They sent him back to Guamajal degraded, as a mere jailer, opening and closing the cell locks, the lowest of the guards," he said.
García has spotted his oppressor on the streets of Villa Clara since his release: "I saw him driving a car from MININT recently. I don't know if they have him as a driver too."
"I am peaceful, but I felt a lot of frustration for not being able to do anything about what he did to me and to other prisoners, because it's likely that, even if I am in civilian clothes, I would be the one punished if I confronted him, as they are protected by the regime," he stated to Cubanet.
Roberto Javier Rojo Hernández states on his Facebook profile that he graduated in Law from the Martha Abreu University of Villa Clara. He has shared photos on his profile of him drinking beer in a pool, on a trip to the dolphinarium in Varadero, and at nightlife parties.
The case of Andy García Lorenzo
Last July, García Lorenzo, one of the most visible faces of the 11J protests in Santa Clara, was released after
Received amidst hugs and under strict surveillance, Andy stepped out into a country more battered than when he was imprisoned: a Cuba impoverished, broken, but also more awake. He still bears on his skin and in his soul the marks of a sentence that should never have existed.
On social media, his mother celebrated his return with a message full of faith and pride: “Today begins a new chapter in your life, one that is different and challenging, but you are not alone. You never have been. [...] Welcome home, son. God bless you greatly.”
He was arrested on July 11, 2021, during the historic protests that shook the country, shouting "freedom." He was only 23 years old. His crime: speaking out, taking to the streets, believing that protesting should not be a criminal act. For this, they imprisoned him.
During these years behind bars, his family, some of whom are now exiled in Germany, continued to fight, to speak out, and to support him.
Although he is at home, Andy is not completely free. He is being watched, monitored. His case is a warning and, at the same time, a symbol. A young man who refused to be silenced, who resisted fear, who now walks the streets of Santa Clara again, holding his head high.
"Respect, closeness, and commitment," as defined by those closest to him, are now the legacy left by his time in prison and the driving force behind those who continue to raise their voices from both inside and outside the island.
During his time in prison, Andy undertook several hunger strikes as a form of protest against isolation and prison conditions. His family reported multiple times that he wasa victim of torture and mistreatment at the hands of prison authorities, and that he was kept in punishment cells under degrading conditions.
In 2022, he was transferred to a higher security prison. His sister, Roxana García Lorenzo, publicly reported that visits were not permitted frequently, and that his physical and emotional health was a significant cause for concern.
The case of Andy was taken up by organizations such as Prisoners Defenders and Amnesty International, which recognized him as a prisoner of conscience.
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