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Hundreds of Cubans remain confined in the detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz in Florida, under conditions that the detainees themselves describe as inhumane, according to testimonies gathered by CiberCuba during a live broadcast with family members and inmates.
According to reports, via telephone, there would be around 700 Cubans inside the center, including several known as Marielitos who arrived in the United States at the age of 12.
According to the testimonials collected by our journalist Tania Costa, the venue consists of eight tents.
Each tent would have eight cages, and in each cage, there are between 27 and 32 people who sleep cramped in bunk beds and only have three bathrooms to attend to their needs.
The detainees -desperate to speak and share what they are experiencing- claim that they are only allowed to shower and brush their teeth -without hygiene products- three times a week.
In a 15-minute call where they took turns sharing their story, they stated that they do not know what time it is and that the air conditioning is being kept at an extreme intensity (below 35 Fahrenheit, 2 degrees Celsius), which exacerbates the physical conditions inside the place.
Abel Ducanses Ceballos, detained since December 5, reported that “the conditions are inhumane: we are locked in cages, no one cares about us. The drinking water looks like puddle water; it’s disgusting,” he said.
According to their testimony, the smell is unbearable and there have been reports of mange outbreaks. "We look like animals: with long hair, with beards, without hygiene. The only thing that has happened is that we respond like animals to animal treatment," they added.
Another detainee, Endy Castillo, described the place as a “concentration camp” and a “punishment cell.”
"The medicines are terrible; imagine that instead of the medications to lower my blood pressure, they gave me aspirin, and now my nose is bleeding. I feel like I don't have anyone here inside who cares," she said.
According to their account, they receive three meals a day —at 5:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.— the food arrives cold and it is the same sandwich throughout the entire week, while the water “cannot be consumed.”
Medical care is another critical issue. According to reports, the doctor only attends after 72 hours, by which time most already show symptoms, and they claim that there are no medications.
Inmates also warn about security risks: they claim that there are no fire extinguishers and that, in the event of a fire, “we would all die.”
They claim that each cage has three toilets and that when one person needs to use them, the others have to turn their backs.
They also report extreme temperatures: the air conditioning would remain set at 35 degrees, which causes them intense cold and forces them to stay covered with blankets.
One of the interviewees stated that they have been in confinement for 98 days and reported on transfers and a lack of information.
"The worst part is the overcrowding, piled on top of each other, without hygiene and with terrible food. My family in Cuba hasn't been able to speak with me; I am completely cut off," he said before the allowed 15 minutes of the call ran out.
Among those detained are elderly individuals. According to the testimonies, the oldest would be 84 years old and several detainees are around 50 and 60 years old. Some do not even speak Spanish, as they arrived in the United States as children decades ago.
CiberCuba will continue to document the reports regarding the conditions inside Alligator Alcatraz, as the demands from family members and activists grow for ensuring humane treatment, access to medical care, and basic hygiene conditions.
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