Just hours after setting foot on U.S. soil, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara made it clear that he is not here to rest. This Saturday, the Cuban artist and former political prisoner spoke to journalists, activists, and members of the Cuban community at the Ermita de la Caridad del Cobre in Miami, summarizing his intent in one phrase: “I’m going to have fun, of course. But I’m here to work.”
The co-founder of the San Isidro Movement arrived in Miami on American Airlines flight AA2706 from Havana at around 5:10 p.m., after serving five years in the maximum-security prison of Guanajay, in Artemisa. His first stop was the Ermita, where he left a token of gratitude and began restoring an image of the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre that he brought from Cuba in a damaged state.
When asked who was really "broken," he answered without hesitation: "Both." He elaborated on the idea: "You are broken too. We are all broken," alluding to the pain of exile and family separation.
Otero Alcántara stated that he feels "mentally healthier" after his confinement, although he admitted he is unaware of the physical impact of those five years. He revealed that the prison authorities allowed him to paint during his incarceration and that he managed to send out of the country more than 4,000 works created in prison, although around 200 were retained due to their content. "They knew that if I didn't paint, I would die," he said, clarifying that this possibility was not a gesture from the regime but rather the result of the accumulated pressure from generations of the Cuban exile community.
He plans to organize an exhibition of those paintings to be studied from the human experience of confinement, beyond their artistic or collectible value.
Regarding the role of exile in the fight for democracy, he was direct: "Equipping the Cuban people with civic thought is our responsibility." He emphasized that future protests on the island must focus on the defense of freedoms and not solely on the economic crisis, because when immediate needs are alleviated, "they go back home."
He highlighted the influence of diaspora communicators like Alexander Otaola and journalist Mario J. Pentón, who are even known among political prisoners. "In prison, they would say to me: 'Hey, give me Otaola's phone number, give me Pentón's phone number,' because people believe in them," he recounted.
He also rejected the idea that change depends on external factors: “Right now, people are talking about Donald Trump and the possibility of American invasion. But what’s actually happening is the result of all of our efforts.”
Regarding art as a political tool, he recalled the journey of the San Isidro Movement: "We showed that art is not just a painting on the wall." He added, "We didn't do anything extraordinary. We simply took the paintings to the street."
He confirmed that his 16-year-old son remains in Cuba. He explained that he had the opportunity to bring him, but decided to wait to first understand the reality he will face in the United States before the young man makes his own decision.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued an official statement this Saturday welcoming the artist, described the Cuban regime as "illegitimate," and demanded the immediate release of more than 700 political prisoners who remain on the island.
Otero Alcántara concluded his message with a warning about time and a metaphor regarding where the oppositional effort should be focused: "A long time ago, I realized that the problem is not the glass. The problem is the factory that is on fire. So, let’s go after the factory (...) We will dedicate time to political prisoners, to the freedom of Cuba, and time to overthrowing the dictatorship." He summed up his urgency in a single sentence: "A minute I lose is one more minute of dictatorship."
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