Carolina Barrero is a Cuban art historian, cultural promoter, and activist. She graduated from the Faculty of Art History at the University of Havana. In Cuba, she worked at the Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center. In Spain, where she holds citizenship, she was a fellow at the National Museum of Prado in the Sponsorship and Communication Department and has worked in art galleries.
Barrero is part of the 27N movement that emerged from the protests of hundreds of young people on November 27, 2020, in front of the Ministry of Culture's headquarters in Havana, to denounce the harassment against the Movimiento San Isidro (MSI) as well as the lack of freedoms and the increasing repression on the island against anyone who expresses dissent or holds contrary views to the regime.
On January 27, 2021, two months later, in light of the breakdown of dialogue with the authorities of the Ministry of Culture, young artists once again gathered peacefully in front of the organization to protest. On that occasion, Barrero was arrested along with several members of the 27N group.
Since then, Barrero has been the victim of several arbitrary detentions, such as on January 31st in front of the National Assembly of the People's Power, located in the Capitol of Havana, alongside the rapper Maykel Osorbo Castillo, with whom he was conducting a live stream defending the citizens' right to call for Alpidio's resignation.
Barrero has been warned and threatened during those interrogations where she has been suggested to "better return to Spain," lest she be regulated and later prohibited from leaving.
In February 2021, Barrero along with the activist Solveig Font presented a petition on behalf of the 27N movement to the National Assembly and the Council of State in Havana, calling for the revocation of Alpidio Alonso Grau's positions as deputy and minister of culture of Cuba due to the violence with which the minister and other leaders attacked the young people who were peacefully camping outside the institution. Days later, Barrero was detained by police agents while doing some shopping.
In February 2012, State Security threatened the young woman with charges of "clandestine printing" against public disorder, as outlined in Article 210 of the Cuban Penal Code, after Barrero printed an image of José Martí covered in stars, intending to honor the anniversary of the Apostle's birth on January 28th.
