The possibility that the Cuban regime might send the artist and political prisoner Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara directly into exile, without allowing him to return home, is gaining traction among those who closely follow his case. This was warned this Wednesday by Yanelys Núñez, a close friend and activist, in statements regarding his situation after being taken out of the maximum-security prison in Guanajay with his whereabouts still unknown.
"It is a possibility because Luis is not wanted on the streets, especially in a Havana that is fully mobilized by its citizens. Every day, every night there are pot-banging protests, there is garbage burning, there are mobilizations, and, of course, there is also repression," Núñez stated in an interview with Tania Costa.
The activist pointed out that the regime recognizes the political weight of the artist and acts accordingly. "They know that Luis is an opinion leader, and I believe that is why they have him confined, and that they will use their practice of expelling opponents from the country."
Núñez emphasized that the regime's priority is to remove dissenters from Cuba, and that forced exile from prison is a tool it has already used with other political prisoners. However, he made it clear what the demands of activism are. "More than anything, we are concerned for his well-being and demand that he must be sent home, from where he should never have been taken."
The five-year sentence of Otero Alcántara, who was arrested on July 11, 2021, for charges such as "insulting national symbols," officially ends this Thursday, July 9. The People's Supreme Court rejected in April 2026 the habeas corpus petitions submitted by Cubalex to achieve his early release.
While his whereabouts remain unconfirmed, activists have been working for weeks on a parole process to the United States. "For several weeks now, we have been managing a specific parole for Luis to have an escape route, because we know there is no other possibility for Luis Manuel within Cuba," Núñez explained.
In parallel, the case of the artist reached an unprecedented international dimension on Tuesday, when the United States Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, displayed his photograph during a session in front of the Cuban delegation and denounced that his only crime was being an artist. Maykel Osorbo, Michael Castillo, the poet Duannis León, and the Perdomo brothers were also mentioned.
Núñez described that moment as thrilling. "There was the Cuban regime sitting there, and they had to look at the faces of Luis, Michael, and the Perdomo brothers, and even though they protested, they had to remain silent."
The activist took the opportunity to point out that international visibility not only benefits Otero Alcántara but also sheds light on a broader crisis. "It's not a fixed number; rather, it's a number that has continued to grow after July 11 with these exemplary sentences," she said about political prisoners in Cuba, whose total exceeds 1,260. according to Prisoners Defenders.
Núñez also reported that repression extends to minors. "There are even sanctions against minors: there is the boy from Morón who is being accused of supposedly burning down the party, and that boy is a minor, so the violence is against everyone."
The transfer of Otero Alcántara from Guanajay occurs amidst a Havana shaken by power outages lasting up to 87 consecutive hours, shortages of water and gas, and nighttime protests that the regime has responded to with militarization, police operations, and internet cuts in neighborhoods such as El Cerro and El Vedado.
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