The Embassy of the United States in Cuba posted this Wednesday a video in which its Chargé d'Affaires, Mike Hammer, makes a phone call to Ángel Delgado Almira, father of the five children of the political prisoner from July 11, Lisandra Góngora Espinosa, to inquire about his situation and convey a message from the Trump administration.
Góngora, sentenced to 14 years in prison following the protests of July 11, 2021, is one of the political prisoners from 11J with the longest sentences in Cuba and is currently held in a prison in Isla de la Juventud.
In the call, Delgado described Lisandra's situation candidly: "They have done everything possible to arrange a transfer here, and they have denied it. So she has no chance to see the kids, not at all."
At the end of March 2026, the Cuban authorities transferred Góngora to the Los Colonos prison, on the Isle of Youth, more than 160 kilometers away from Güira de Melena, Artemisa, where her children live.
“Lizandra was sentenced to 14 years, and they are counting the years as 12 months each because, according to them, she has bad behavior,” said her husband, who also informed that he has ended the hunger strike he was carrying out.
Hammer replied that he should convey a message on behalf of the United States and the Trump administration: "We are concerned about your situation and that of all political prisoners; we will continue to insist that they be released."
It is not the first time the regime has separated her from her family: in April 2023, she was already transferred to that same island, preventing her from seeing her children for at least four months.
The institutional retaliation against Góngora and his circle has multiple layers: in February 2023, State Security threatened Ángel Delgado with imprisonment for "ideological diversions" and threatened to revoke his custody of the children if he continued to speak out about the case.
In 2026, an agent identified as "Wilmer" threatened Góngora with sending her to Pinar del Río or Guantánamo if she continued to request a change of prison, as documented by the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and the Press.
The authorities also denied her request to change to a minimum-security regime, and Góngora has warned that she will "stand firm" — initiating a form of resistance — if the regime violates her rights as an inmate.
Hammer conveyed a direct message from the Trump administration during the call: "We are concerned about your situation, of course, as well as that of all political prisoners. We will continue to insist that everyone be released. We cannot remain silent because it is an injustice."
Delgado responded: "That's right, well said, a total injustice."
The Embassy frames the case within its campaign #Todos, aimed at highlighting Cuban families separated by unjust imprisonments.
Hammer has maintained an active policy of contacting the families of political prisoners: last week he spoke with Alexander Díaz Rodríguez, a recently released prisoner from the 11J protests, and in January he made it clear that the release of all political prisoners "is a must" and "is not a topic for negotiation".
The Embassy emphasized that the case of Góngora "reflects the heavy burden faced by political prisoners and their families," while the regime of Miguel Díaz-Canel continues to deny the existence of political prisoners on the island.
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