Why does the Cuban regime deny amnesty to political prisoners?



The El4tico project analyzes how the Cuban regime uses citizen petitions to identify dissenters and maintain control, denying amnesties to prevent democratic change.

El 4ticoPhoto © Instagram el4tico

The Cuban project, known on social media as El 4tico, provided a poignant reflection on the reasons why the Havana regime refuses to grant amnesty to political prisoners.

In a video posted on his Instagram profile, the strategy of power control on the island is analyzed, asserting that the government has learned from its own history to prevent any possibility of democratic change in the country.

"The Cuban regime learned the most important lesson in 1955: 'Never let go of someone who could overthrow you later,'" the artist stated, referring to the amnesty granted to Fidel Castro by the dictator Fulgencio Batista, which allowed his subsequent return to power through armed means.

The communicator added that during the Varela Project, led by Oswaldo Payá, they learned the second lesson: "Even the most peaceful is dangerous if people start to believe it is possible."

In the view of this dissident space within Cuba, the regime allows the collection of signatures or citizen petitions because each name provides useful information for the state's intelligence agencies. This enables them to identify who is organizing, who has hope for change, and who is willing to invest energy in achieving democracy, rather than merely fighting for survival.

The 4tico emphasized that the dictatorship of 2025 does not make mistakes out of principles or ideals, but rather operates under a logic of "refined survival." Each ignored request for amnesty represents, in the view of these content creators, a double victory for the regime: it identifies dissenters and strips them of hope.

"The irony is that the very system that was born from an amnesty now knows that signing one would be its death sentence."

The video has sparked extensive debate among El4tico's followers, who agree that political repression remains the biggest obstacle to freedom in Cuba.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.