Officials from the United States Embassy in Cuba met in Matanzas with the Cuban historian and professor Alina Bárbara López Hernández, known for her denunciations against political repression and her peaceful protests in defense of civil rights.
The U.S. diplomatic mission announced the meeting this Wednesday, November 4, through a post on its official X account, accompanied by a photograph featuring the academic alongside two officials.
"In Matanzas, officials from @USEmbCuba met with the renowned Cuban historian and professor Alina Bárbara López Hernández. It was interesting to hear her ideas for a better Cuba," stated the Embassy.
The message did not identify the U.S. representatives by name nor detail the specific issues discussed or potential agreements. The delegation also did not specify the exact date on which the meeting was held.
A historian subjected to detentions and a criminal trial
The meeting takes place against a backdrop of repeated repressive actions against López Hernández, who has been attempting to peacefully protest every 18th of the month in the Parque de la Libertad in Matanzas since March 2023. Among his main demands are the release of political prisoners, respect for citizens' rights, and an end to repression in Cuba.
In October, the intellectual publicly reaffirmed her decision to continue those protests and questioned a political system that, as she denounced, does not fully recognize the rights of citizens.
The professor has been under a precautionary measure of house arrest since June 2024, as part of a criminal process she shares with sociologist Jenny Pantoja Torres. The Prosecutor's Office is seeking four years of imprisonment for López Hernández on charges of assault, contempt, and disobedience. The trial scheduled for January 30, 2026, was suspended, and according to the latest published information, it still did not have a new date.
During this year, she has faced several arrests while trying to carry out her civic actions. In September, for example, she reported that State Security agents detained her for nearly five hours to prevent her from reaching the park.
A critical voice calling for change in Cuba
Just a few days before the meeting with the American officials was made public, López Hernández publicly reported assaults and mistreatment that he claims to have suffered at the hands of police officers during one of his arrests. According to his testimony, the incident included beatings and the use of handcuffs to inflict pain.
The historian has insisted that the solution to the Cuban crisis also depends on political transformations, the guarantee of civil liberties, and the recognition of citizenship as a dialogue partner. In a reflection published in March, she summarized her public commitment with a phrase: "I am an intellectual and a citizen who understood that it was not possible to remain silent."
The meeting publicized by the United States Embassy once again brings to the forefront one of the most persistent critical voices within Cuba. For now, the diplomatic mission has focused on expressing its interest in hearing their proposals for "a better Cuba."
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