Alejandra García, a journalist and partner of the director of La Hora de Cuba, reported this Saturday that State Security agents subjected her to an interrogation on Friday after concluding her second scheduled visit to Henry Constantín at the Kilo 7 maximum security prison, located in the Albaisa neighborhood of Camagüey.
García recounted the episode in a post on the social media of the independent outlet, where she described how, as she was saying goodbye to Constantín, two agents identified as Felipe and Frank detained her for what they termed a "friendly dialogue."
"They called it a 'friendly dialogue.' For me, it was an interrogation," García wrote.
The visit took place in a separate office, from noon to two in the afternoon, always under the supervision of an officer. García was able to deliver belongings, food, and drinks to Constantín, who gifted him a rose. He described him as calm, in good health, and convinced that Cuba will be free.
It was upon exiting that the pressure began. The agents deployed what García recognized as the classic tactic of good cop and bad cop, with threats wrapped in cordiality.
"There were no shortages of threats, or warnings, as you may prefer to call them, always within that 'conversation among friends': that we can help you, that you don't have to go through this, that the process can be shorter, that you don't want your people to suffer, that you don't want anything to happen to you that would make Henry worry and become unsettled," he reported.
The agents also asked him about his sister abroad, his grandmother, his mother, and his father. "They just forgot to mention my dog and my cats. They're all fine, agents. Thank you for your 'concern,'" García replied sarcastically in his text.
At the end of the meeting, Agent Frank presented him with an ultimatum: "It was up to me to choose the easy way or the hard way." García did not hesitate: "I looked him in the eyes and replied, 'Henry stands firm. And I stand firm with him.'"
The journalist rejected any justification for what happened: "It was a family visit. I didn't commit any crime; I just went to see my partner, who they are unjustly holding in custody." She was emphatic in describing her experience: "This was not a meeting; it should be called what it is: harassment and intimidation. It's a control mechanism and a twisted game applied to independent journalists, activists, influencers, and members of civil society."
García noted that the harassment is not new for the team of La Hora de Cuba. The deputy director Iris Mariño, writers, and collaborators have faced summons, detentions, and interrogations over the years. "The names and settings change, but the script remains the same," she wrote.
Constantín has been imprisoned since September 16, accused of "disobedience" for allegedly failing to attend a migration summons, a charge he and García deny. He was transferred without notice to Kilo 7 on September 24. Reporters Without Borders documented that this is at least his nineteenth detention related to journalism, in a country that ranks 160 out of 180 on the global press freedom index.
"Henry was falsely accused of a crime, and everything was built on lies," García concluded, wrapping up his statement with a declaration of principles: "I have a mission to communicate, and I will do so."
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