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The Center for Complaints (CD) of the citizen initiative CubaDecide reported an assault on political prisoner Félix Navarro Rodríguez, 72 years old, that took place in the Agüica prison in Matanzas, following the conclusion of his 50-day family visit.
According to the complaint, the officer Yoslén Pedroso Sotolongo, head of internal order at the prison, confronted him as soon as he met with his wife, and ordered an extensive search of all his belongings to prevent him from taking out any notes.
Once his wife's visit was concluded, activist and Dama de Blanco Sonia Álvarez, as Navarro was heading to the infirmary, he was insulted, beaten, handcuffed, and taken to a punishment cell under orders from the military officer himself. He remains there, completely isolated.
The situation is particularly concerning as the opposition member suffers from diabetes, severe respiratory issues, and other health conditions.
The activist Anamely Ramos expanded the report on Facebook with a detailed profile of the aggressor, including a photo.
"The direct responsible for the beating, if this information is confirmed, is Yoslén Pedroso Sotolongo, head of internal security at the Agüica prison, known for his history of abuse, violence, and humiliation against inmates, especially political prisoners. For years, he has acted with complete impunity within this facility, employing physical and psychological punishment as a systematic practice," he said.
Ramos documented several previous cases attributed to this officer: a beating of William R. Fuentes, who ended up in the Colón hospital with three fractured ribs; an assault on Jaime Ezequiel, whom he dragged from the third company while hitting him against the stairs; and a brutal beating in 2025 of another inmate that caused the bones in the young man's hands to protrude through the skin.
"It is not about isolated incidents, but rather a sustained pattern of cruelty exercised over the years within the prison system," he emphasized.
Navarro, coordinator of the Pedro Luis Boitel Movement for Democracy, is serving a nine-year prison sentence for his involvement in the protests on July 11.
Sentenced in March 2022, he was granted parole on January 18, 2025, but was reincarcerated just three months later.
During this time, their health has visibly deteriorated. "I think I'm at my last moments", they expressed during a phone call in May of last year, when they could barely speak due to severe lung pain.
CD described this aggression as a political retaliation and reminded that he is a sick man, which increases the risk to his life. Furthermore, his daughter Saylí, also imprisoned, has been unable to see him for more than 140 days, despite being entitled to be transferred to visit him every 45 days.
In the same vein, Anamely Ramos described what happened as a turning point in Feliz Navarro's situation.
"Neither his age, nor his condition, nor the respect he commands have been sufficient to contain the violence. Félix should never have been in prison. Whatever happens to him will be a direct consequence of the revocation that sent him back to jail, when it is public knowledge that he is an innocent man," she emphasized.
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