Elier Muir, father of a teenager imprisoned in Cuba, reports that bedbugs are eating his son in jail



Jonathan Muir remains detained in the Canaleta prison in Ciego de Ávila.Photo © Provided

The evangelical pastor Elier Muir Ávila reported to CiberCuba on Friday that his son, Jonathan David Muir Burgos, a 16-year-old teenager, imprisoned in the maximum security prison of Canaleta in Ciego de Ávila, is suffering from bedbug bites within the facility, which is worsening his health condition.

The father stated that the young man called him in the early morning and explained that he cannot sleep due to the number of bedbugs in his cell, whose bites are causing infections. He also added that he is hungry and reported the poor quality of the food. According to the father, this has led him to experience episodes of hypoglycemia and vasovagal crises.

“The physical and mental state of our son is deteriorating”, he stated.

According to the pastor, the minor was arrested on March 16 and has been held since then in what he described as "inhospitable and precarious" conditions. He also stated that the young man has not received the necessary medical treatment to strengthen his already weakened immune system due to his illness.

Muir explained that his son has been struggling with health issues since childhood and has been diagnosed with dyshidrosis of the skin, which has led to infections caused by beta-hemolytic streptococcus and staphylococcus. This required the administration of several antibiotics and weakened his immune system.

According to his testimony, the teenager was supposed to receive a dose of the medication Evertran on March 18 to strengthen his defenses, but this has not happened due to his stay in prison.

In light of this situation, Muir called on human rights organizations and the international community to intervene and demand the release of the minor, who remains in the Canaleta prison in Ciego de Ávila after being arrested for participating in the protests in Morón, which ended with the burning of the headquarters of the Communist Party in the municipality.

"His life is in danger. We need you to be home," he concluded.

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Tania Costa

(L Havana, 1973) lives in Spain. She has directed the newspaper El Faro de Melilla and FaroTV Melilla. She was the editor for the Murcia edition of 20 minutos, an advisor in the Vice Presidency of the Government of Murcia (Spain), and worked in the press department at Grupo Mixto Asamblea de Melilla. She has been a journalist at La Verdad de Murcia and is now at Cadena SER

Tania Costa

(La Habana, 1973) lives in Spain. She has directed the newspaper El Faro de Melilla and FaroTV Melilla. She was the head of the Murcian edition of 20 minutos, an advisor in the Vice Presidency of the Government of Murcia (Spain); press officer for the Mixed Group Assembly of Melilla. Journalist at La Verdad de Murcia and now at Cadena SER