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The Cuban historian and activist Alina Bárbara López Hernández, one of the most critical intellectual voices against the regime on the island, reported that the date for her trial and that of fellow activist Jenny Pantoja has been set, following more than seven months of delays and a process she describes as a fabrication by the political police.
In a post on Facebook, López Hernández explained that both were instructed of charges since June 18, 2024, accused of "false crimes" fabricated by the police under the guidance of the Counterintelligence agencies.
“The process was very delayed… it was impossible to prolong it further,” denounced the intellectual, who stated that the case has dragged on not due to privileges, but because of the political cost of judicially prosecuting two women who are recognized both academically and socially, both inside and outside the country.
Trial scheduled for January 30
According to the official citation, the hearing is scheduled for Friday, January 30, at 9:00 a.m., at the Municipal Court of Matanzas.
Although the regime presents it as a "public" hearing, López Hernández warned that in Cuba that nature is "never respected."
"A farce to instill fear"
The historian defined the trial as another of the farces used by an exclusionary system to intimidate those who attempt to exercise their civil rights.
"This trial is another one of the farces with which an exclusionary political system tries to intimidate the populace… They will not succeed," he wrote.
López made it clear that neither she nor Pantoja will accept any outcome other than complete exoneration: "Neither of us will accept any ruling other than total exoneration. We will not negotiate our freedom in exchange for silence."
Denounce total control by State Security
The activist emphasized that one should not expect justice in Cuban judicial processes, because "all decisions are controlled by the political police," and warned that this case will have a high cost for those who promote it.
“This case will be very costly, not so much for the accused as for their accusers,” he stated.
Call to the Cuban Intelligentsia
In one of the most powerful passages of his message, López Hernández asserted that the civic responsibility of the Cuban intelligentsia will also be at stake, criticizing the silence of many sectors in the face of repression.
"Either we acknowledge the seriousness of what is happening in our country, or we will continue to be... intellectuals blind to anything other than their own works," he wrote, referencing the iconic painting by Marcelo Pogolotti.
The trial against Alina Bárbara López Hernández and Jenny Pantoja adds to the growing repression against activists, journalists, and independent intellectuals in Cuba, in a context marked by social deterioration, endless blackouts, and the complete closure of spaces for dissent.
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