Two exiled Cubans questioned the authorities of the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP) this Wednesday regarding the admission of Gabriela Fernández Álvarez, a screenwriter and presenter of the official program "Con Filo", into the 2026-2028 cohort of its Master's in Human Rights.
The initiatives were carried out independently. The Cuban journalist José Luis Tan Estrada, based in Mexico, sent a message to the master's program via Facebook, while the activist Avana De La Torre, residing in Madrid, addressed a letter to the rector of UASLP, Alejandro Javier Zermeño Guerra.
Both questioned the compatibility between Fernández's public trajectory in "Con Filo" and the principles of an academic program dedicated to human rights.
"I write to you as a Cuban citizen, independent journalist, and political exile, but also as one of the individuals who has been publicly singled out by the official program Con Filo, a show hosted and scripted by Gabriela Fernández Álvarez," wrote Tan Estrada.
The journalist posed a question directly to the university:
"How does the discourse on human rights that will be studied in the classrooms of UASLP reconcile with public participation in a program that has pointed out, ridiculed, and criminalized individuals for exercising rights such as freedom of expression, protest, and political dissent?"
Tan Estrada clarified that he is not requesting that Fernández be deprived of his right to study, but rather that the university also listen to individuals who claim to have been the subject of allegations from the program.
"That when human rights are discussed in those classrooms, the voices of those of us who were targeted for defending them should also be heard," she stated.
De La Torre, linked to La Gran Familia Opositora – Sociedad Civil Cubana, submitted a formal letter to the rectory in which she questioned Fernández's history within the realm of state television.
The activist described the mechanism used by "Con Filo" as "media terrorism," which she defined as the use of a state communication apparatus "to intimidate, harass, stigmatize, and publicly destroy the reputation of those who dissent."
In his writing, he also referenced an academic research regarding the program's content and mentioned a broadcast from October 13, 2021, the script of which he partially attributes to Fernández. According to the letter, the segment linked an activist to terrorists and the U.S. government, despite the referenced researchers finding no evidence to support those claims.
De La Torre also recalled Fernández's public positions on political prisoners in Cuba and requested that UASLP clarify whether his professional background "was known and was taken into account during his admission process."
Fernández's admission to the Master's program in Human Rights was made public this week. His name appears in the 14th position on a list of 30 people admitted for the 2026-2028 cohort, released on July 2 by the academic program. The admission has sparked criticism among journalists, activists, and figures from the Cuban exile community.
The Cuban Senia Vidal questioned on Facebook saying that "the same person who for years defended the discourse of the Cuban regime on official television and discredited those who denounced the repression, is now in Mexico, enjoying freedoms that millions of Cubans do not have."
Vidal added sarcastically that Fernández's trajectory could serve "as an example of what NOT to do in terms of human rights."
The Cuban journalist and academic José Raúl Gallego also reacted, recalling that since "Con Filo" Fernández has been involved in producing content against opponents, activists, and independent journalists.
Gallego contrasted that trajectory with the academic environment he is now joining in Mexico, where, he noted, he will share classrooms with students and professors who exercise rights such as freedom of expression, challenge governments, and participate in public protests.
"For Gabriela, all those people, if they were Cuban, should be imprisoned," asserted Gallego, who accompanied his post with a recent excerpt from the program in which Fernández discusses cases of dissidents and opposition figures.
"Con Filo" began broadcasting in August 2021, just weeks after the anti-government protests of July 11 that year. Since then, opponents, activists, and independent media have criticized the program for its campaigns against critical voices of the Cuban government.
It is not the first time that Fernández's presence outside of Cuba has sparked protests. In May 2025, the University Center of Alicante, in Spain, cancelled a scheduled talk with the presenter following complaints from members of the Cuban exile community.
Tan Estrada concluded her message by contrasting the academic study of human rights with the experiences of those who have left Cuba for political reasons
"For some, human rights may be an academic subject. For those of us who have had to leave our country to exercise them, they are our life."
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