The U.S. Embassy in Cuba reacted strongly to the announcement of a general amnesty in Venezuela and directly transferred the pressure to the regime in Havana, demanding the release of all Cuban political prisoners in a message that specifically targets the more than one thousand people imprisoned following the protests of July 11, 2021.
“Yet not in Cuba?”, questioned the diplomatic mission in a message posted on X, in which it recalled that more than 1,000 innocent parents, children, siblings, and grandchildren remain behind bars for peacefully protesting against the living conditions on the island and for demanding “homeland and life.” The post concludes with a direct call: #FreeThemAll.
The embassy's statement came after the announcement by the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, of a general amnesty law for political prisoners, a measure that, as she stated, aims to "promote coexistence" and promises to "erase the legal cases" of those who benefit.
The initiative, reported by El País, will be presented to the Venezuelan National Assembly and could benefit hundreds of detainees, in a process that is unfolding following the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3rd.
While Caracas speaks of reconciliation and pardons, Washington used the announcement as a mirror to highlight the lack of similar gestures in Cuba, where authorities not only keep 11J protesters imprisoned but also continue to impose long sentences for offenses such as "sedition" or "public disorder."
International pressure on Venezuela has already had concrete consequences. Following the announcement of the amnesty, the United States confirmed the release of all its citizens detained in that country, while keeping consular lines open to verify any potential pending cases. In Cuba, however, there has been no similar development.
For the families of the prisoners from July 11 and for a significant part of the Cuban diaspora, the message from the U.S. embassy is not just a diplomatic comparison, but an uncomfortable reminder that while Venezuela talks about erasing charges and closing symbolic prisons like El Helicoide, in Cuba the repression remains intact, with no amnesty, no public lists, and no signs of reconciliation.
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