The young Cuban Christian Iván Daniel Calás Navarro, who recently left the island after suffering threats and pressure for his activism, published a video on social media in which he reflects on his decision to emigrate and the reality he is leaving behind.
Calás, who arrived in Spain with his wife after a process he described as “a legal and safe route,” had previously reported the harassment he faced for expressing critical opinions about the situation in Cuba, combining messages of faith with questions about the official narrative, as he recounted in his departure from the country and arrival in Spain.
In the video shared on his Facebook profile, posted days after his departure from the country, the young man accompanies images of his activism, scenes of daily life on the island, and moments of repression, while narrating a personal message about his departure.
"I am leaving Cuba, although that phrase is not entirely accurate," he begins in the recording, where he explains that his departure also means a family separation: "I am leaving Cuba to reunite with my family while my wife moves away from hers, because that is the story of Cubans over the last seven decades, separated by evils and seas, with scars that last a lifetime."
The young man emphasizes that his decision was not motivated by a renunciation of his principles. "I am leaving Cuba with the satisfaction that from within, I named things as they are, that I spoke the truth, that I did not give up the principles my parents and the church taught me, that I did not betray my conscience, that I did not sell my voice to the system," he states.
In the same message, he emphasizes the connection between his faith and his civic stance: “because my theology cannot be subordinate to my fear, fear must be subordinate to theology, because I serve Jesus Christ and not fear, because I serve a living God, not a dead god.”
Calás also harshly describes the situation in the country: “I am leaving Cuba, the open-air prison, the estate of a family, the international experiment, the repression in the country, the longest-running dictatorship on the entire continent.”
Despite this, he distinguishes between the country and its political system: “I love Cuba because Cuba is not socialism, Cuba is not communism, Cuba is not Fidel Castro's revolution, Cuba is not the CDRs or the UJC or the PCC.”
The 22-year-old young man notes that he will begin a new chapter in Spain: “I’m going to Spain to start over at twenty-two,” and he compares his situation to that of other Cubans who have had to emigrate at more advanced stages of life.
At another point in the video, he acknowledges the human impact of emigration and the role of his wife: “When I raised my voice against injustices and many applauded me and called me brave, the true brave one is my wife.”
The message concludes with a statement of identity and belonging: “Do you know why that phrase isn’t accurate? It’s because I’m not really leaving Cuba; I am Cuba too.”
The video has generated reactions on social media. The user Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente shared the reel of the young man along with the message: “My respects to you, my brother.”
Calás' story is set against a backdrop where activists, communicators, and citizens expressing criticism of the system face surveillance, police summons, and threats, which has driven many to emigrate. His testimony reflects both the personal impact of these pressures and the connection he maintains with the island despite the distance.
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