The Cuban doctor and activist Lucio Enríquez Nodarse sent a direct message to the Spanish Ana Hurtado Martínez after learning about the new sentence issued against her by the Provincial Court of Albacete: “Ana Hurtado, I told you once that you messed with the wrong person and that I would take this all the way with you, and that’s how it will be.”
The ruling in the second instance, released this October after a process that lasted approximately two years, convicted Hurtado of defamation and slander and established a compensation of 10,000 euros for moral damages in favor of the Cuban doctor, in addition to the payment of legal costs. The judgment is not final and can be appealed.
Enríquez Nodarse emphasized that the victory holds primarily symbolic value. "What is important here is the symbolic aspect, which is the condemnation of Ana Hurtado. For me, it is a victory that we have condemned the Cuban dictatorship," he stated in an interview with journalist Tania Costa for CiberCuba.
The activist recalled that Hurtado not only attacked him but also defamed political prisoners and their families. "I remember very well how he slandered many political prisoners, and the mothers of those prisoners saw how he spoke to Wilber, for example, and also to his little boy who is imprisoned," he noted, referring to Walnier Luis Aguilar Rivera, who was incarcerated following the protests of July 11, 2021.
The lawsuit originated when Hurtado posted on social media phrases such as "little trafficker doctor," "criminal," and "terrorist" against the doctor, allegedly following a protest he carried out alongside activist Avana de la Torre in front of the birthplace of Ángel Castro in Láncara, Galicia. The court deemed Hurtado's expressions an unlawful violation of the right to honor.
Enríquez Nodarse also warned that the process has not concluded. "It will go on until the end, Ana Hurtado," he reiterated, and clarified that he will continue even if the convicted individual appeals to the Supreme Court. Her lawyer considered it likely that the appeal would not be admitted, although Hurtado has 20 business days to attempt it. It is worth noting that the Spanish national declared herself insolvent before the court and requested legal aid in the second instance, despite the fact that she was already obligated to pay the 10,000 euros from the initial ruling in the first instance.
Upon receiving congratulations from those who reached out after the verdict was announced, the doctor was clear about the collective significance of the victory: "This is mine and yours."
The connection of Ana Hurtado with the leadership of the Cuban regime reinforces, according to Enríquez Nodarse, the symbolic nature of the condemnation: Hurtado has been photographed with Miguel Díaz-Canel and with leaders of the Communist Party of Cuba, and maintains a relationship with Senén Casas Más, identified as the son of the late general Senén Casas Regueiro, former chief of the General Staff of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.
The activist also called on other Cuban exiles to seek justice in their countries of residence in response to the defamation campaigns organized by regime proponents, and he predicted that when the transition occurs in Cuba, individuals like Hurtado will be held accountable in court. "Yes, I have no doubt," he stated when asked about that possibility.
Regarding the future of Cuba, Enríquez Nodarse was emphatic: "I never lose faith. I always hold onto the hope that one day our people will be free from dictatorship. For sure, because we want a free and democratic people."
Filed under: