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The Cuban doctor Erlis Sierra Gómez, known for his brave stance against local authorities during a protest in Baire, Contramaestre municipality, left the country on Wednesday after months of arrests, pressures, and professional restrictions.
Sierra Gómez became known last October when he confronted officials of the Communist Party and demanded real solutions to the problems of his community, reminding them that the Constitution grants him the right to speak freely.
After that tense exchange with municipal leaders, the young man was detained and forced to record a video of repentance and retraction, in which he read a text that was clearly imposed under pressure.
Almost five months later, the pediatrician and father of two children has had to leave Cuba.
According to reports sent to journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada by people close to the doctor, he has been banned from continuing to practice his profession within the healthcare system in Santiago de Cuba, a situation that has led him to make this decision.
Before leaving, already on the plane, he wrote online: "Life is always good, and its rewards come when you least expect them. Dream come true. Now to fight. Thanks to the people who stood by me and to those who made this possible today. And thank God for His blessing."
The protest in Baire
Last October, a wave of protests shook Baire, Contramaestre, with dozens of neighbors in the streets shouting "Freedom!" and "Down with the dictatorship!"
Among the participants was the young physician, who stood before the authorities and demanded solutions to the lack of water, the uncollected garbage, the power outages, and the healthcare system crisis.
"I am not afraid to go there because no one is going to do anything to me, because here in the Constitution I have freedom of expression," declared Sierra, highlighting his strong stance against the inefficiency of local delegates.
He even suggested organizing with the community to address everyday issues without relying on state bureaucracy.
Hours later, agents from the Police and the MININT came to his home and arrested him, handcuffed, in the presence of his family.
His mother publicly reported the situation, asserting that her son had neither participated as a leader nor caused any disorder.
Detentions and pressure
The arrest of the doctor was accompanied by that of his own mother, after she published a video demanding justice for her son. Hours later, she was released.
Additionally, audios were leaked that revealed the threats leading up to the arrest and the tension in the doctor's home, evidence of the regime's atmosphere of intimidation.
After his arrest, Sierra was forced to record a retraction video, read with evident tension and under pressure, in which he claimed he had not been mistreated and that he did not seek to divide the people.
Activists and independent journalists confirmed that these videos were scripted by State Security agents, and that they reflect an attempt to control the narrative of the protest and discredit the voices of the citizens.
"These practices demonstrate the desperation of the repressive apparatus to control the narrative, while the people continue to denounce abuses and censorship," stated Mayeta Labrada.
Others detained after the protest in Baire, such as the nurse Humberto Nieto Sierra, were also compelled to make similar recordings.
Erlis Sierra's departure marks the end of months of pressure, threats, and restrictions, leaving behind an episode that symbolizes the courage of a doctor willing to speak on behalf of his community, despite the repression and constant surveillance of the Cuban state.
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