Freedom House has named Cuban activist Carolina Barrero as one of the five inaugural members of its new program Ambassadors for Freedom, a global initiative aimed at strengthening the defense of democracy and freedoms in the face of the encroachment of authoritarian regimes.
Barrero shares the designation with Iranian activist Nazanin Boniadi, Rwandan advocate Anaïse Kanimba, Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza, and Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok.
Freedom House explained that the new ambassadors will work in partnership with the organization to highlight threats to freedom, engage with policymakers and the public, and encourage new generations to get involved in the defense of democracy.
“Freedom House has always believed that lasting change is driven by brave individuals willing to stand up for freedom, often at great personal cost,” stated Jamie Fly, the organization's executive director.
Fly emphasized that the five selected individuals have firsthand knowledge of the repression carried out by authoritarian governments and noted that their experience will be one of the main assets of the new program.
An activist who emerged from the 27N
Freedom House presents Barrero as a Cuban political leader, human rights defender, and political analyst, and highlights her participation in the 27N movement and in the protests related to the San Isidro Movement.
Her activism within Cuba was marked by detentions, surveillance, house arrests, and restrictions on movement. Following the protests on July 11, 2021, Barrero focused much of her work on defending political prisoners and denouncing the judicial processes against demonstrators.
In January 2022, she was arrested along with other activists after protesting in front of the Supreme People's Court to demand transparency in the trials related to the 11J and the release of political prisoners.
A few weeks later, she left Cuba heading to Spain, under circumstances she reported as a forced exile.
International incidence and work from exile
Since his departure from the island, Barrero has developed an international advocacy agenda focused on human rights, civil liberties, and political participation in Cuba.
In 2024 she was selected for the Sájarov Prize scholarship from the European Parliament, a program aimed at strengthening the capacities of human rights defenders and facilitating their connections with institutions and international networks.
She has also participated in meetings and activities related to European institutions — where she has particularly advocated for ending the Cooperation and Political Dialogue Agreement between the European Union and Cuba — the United Nations, and political spaces in the United States.
She is currently the president and executive director of Ciudadanía y Libertad, an organization dedicated to strengthening independent civil society, political participation, and democratic institutions in Cuba.
Freedom House also highlighted that Barrero is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Miami.
Five defenders against different repressive regimes
The other four members of the inaugural group also have backgrounds related to human rights advocacy and opposition to authoritarian governments.
Nazanin Boniadi has developed campaigns related to women, youth, and prisoners of conscience in Iran. Anaïse Kanimba participated in the international campaign for the release of her father, Paul Rusesabagina, following his detention in Rwanda.
Vladimir Kara-Murza is a Russian opposition leader and former political prisoner who was sentenced to 25 years in prison after criticizing the invasion of Ukraine and was later released in a prisoner exchange in 2024.
Anna Kwok, for her part, is a well-known pro-democracy activist from Hong Kong based in Washington. Hong Kong authorities issued a reward for information leading to her capture due to her political activities.
With this group, Freedom House aims to bring together advocates from various authoritarian contexts and provide them with a common platform to increase international visibility for their causes and facilitate dialogue with governments, institutions, and citizens.
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