The historic Cuban political prisoner Ángel de Fana dismissed the idea that a U.S. military intervention in Cuba is a likely scenario, but he precisely outlined the only condition that, in his opinion, would justify it: if the regime responds to a popular uprising by killing those who participate in it.
De Fana, a leader of the association Plantados hasta la Libertad y la Democracia en Cuba, made these statements in an interview with journalist Tania Costa, one day after the public announcement of the declaration "To the People of Cuba and the United States," signed by more than 145 political prisoners from various generations and read by him on October 22 at the Museum of the 2506 Brigade in Miami.
"I have never believed that the United States would intervene militarily in Cuba. I have never considered it. I can tell you that these were just fairy tales that didn’t convince me. They have never convinced me," stated the historical prisoner, who served more than 20 years in prison after being sentenced in September 1962.
However, De Fana established a clear and specific exception: "Except for the conditions that there is a popular uprising of the Cuban people and that the regime is not only dedicated to suppressing it but also to murdering it. I believe that would indeed provide grounds for a military intervention directly into Cuba."
The stance of the historical exiles is not new. In April 2026, De Fana had already pointed out that Cubans can free themselves from the dictatorship without foreign intervention, although he acknowledged that social desperation had reached such an extreme that some citizens were directly calling for bombings. His personal position has always preferred a Cuban and peaceful solution.
The statement issued this week, dated October 10, 2026, demands the unconditional release of all political prisoners and the decriminalization of dissent as essential prerequisites for any negotiation with the regime. "There can be no negotiation, not even with those we might converse with. The first condition must be established before we begin to talk," emphasized De Fana.
Among the signatories are Guillermo "Coco" Fariñas, winner of the Sakharov Prize from the European Parliament in 2010 and a resident of Santa Clara under constant pressure from the regime, and Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez." Fariñas himself was detained for approximately 24 hours in Santa Clara on August 31, under the accusation of "public disorder."
The document also explicitly supports assistance from the United States or other countries if necessary to protect the population against a military crackdown by the regime, and it expresses openness to a transition that includes military personnel and officials willing to join the change.
The statement was sent to the Department of State and to members of the U.S. Congress. As of the interview on October 23, they had not received a response. Meanwhile, human rights organizations were tallying 1,327 political prisoners in Cuba at the end of August 2026, and more prisoners continued to be added to the signature of the document.
Filed under: