The Cuban-American congressman Carlos A. Giménez publicly demanded the immediate release of young Cubans Kamil Zayas Pérez and Ernesto Ricardo Medina, members of the independent audiovisual project El4tico, who were detained in Cuba after expressing criticism of the regime on social media.
From his account on X, the legislator wrote: "From the United States Congress, we demand the immediate release of young Kamil Zayas and Ernesto Medina, unjustly detained on the Island. #FreeEl4tico".
In a video that was shared, Giménez emphasized that these types of cases highlight the repressive nature of the Cuban regime and underscored that imprisoning two young people for expressing their opinions on social media illustrates why the Cuban people "deserve freedom."
".... their opinion on what was happening in Cuba, they were critical of the regime, they were captured and are in prison. We don't know where they are, we don't know if they are well," he stated.
He added: "This is an example of why the regime must go; the Cuban people deserve freedom. Long live a free Cuba."
Giménez's statements add to the growing international pressure following the news of the detention of both young individuals in Holguín.
The U.S. Department of State, through its Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, denounced that "the illegitimate Cuban regime continues with its daily acts of repression and abuse" and confirmed that Zayas and Medina were arrested "simply for denouncing the poor economic management of the dictatorship."
Kamil Zayas Pérez and Ernesto Ricardo Medina are part of El4tico, a dissident space that emerged in Holguín, where both young men challenge authority from a small room converted into a studio.
Through sociopolitical analysis and critiques of Cuban reality, the project has managed to gather thousands of followers online, becoming one of the most visible alternative spaces within the island.
The arrest took place during a police operation in which agents seized computers, phones, cameras, and work equipment used by the youths to document their work.
According to the platform Citizenship and Freedom, both were transferred to the Criminal Instruction headquarters in Holguín, known as "Everyone Sings," a center noted for its violent interrogation practices and degrading treatment.
In light of the lack of official information about her whereabouts and health status, the activist Yanet Rodríguez Sánchez filed a habeas corpus petition before the Provincial Court of Holguín.
Ciudadanía y Libertad reported that the document has been filed, and demands that the court require the Criminal Investigation to provide precise information about the location of the detainees, the formal charges, the case number, and the material conditions of their detention.
At the same time, a wave of solidarity has emerged on social media under the hashtag #TodosSomosEl4tico. Public figures such as Luis Alberto García and Ulises Toirac have called for the human rights of Zayas and Medina to be respected and for their release.
The United States Embassy in Cuba also demanded her immediate release.
The detention of the young people occurs in a national context marked by prolonged blackouts, inflation, massive migration, and profound social discontent.
In that scenario, any voice that questions the system is treated as a threat rather than as a legitimate exercise of freedom of expression.
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