José Daniel Ferrer García is a Cuban human rights activist born in Palma Soriano, Santiago de Cuba, on July 29, 1970. In August 2011, he founded the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), a dissident organization that peacefully fights against any form of repression of civil liberties in Cuba.
In March 2003, he was arrested by Cuban authorities for being one of the main proponents of the Varela Project, a legislative initiative created and led by Cuban activist Oswaldo Payá in 1998, advocating for political reforms in Cuba. He was one of the 75 prisoners of conscience jailed during the wave of arrests that took place in the spring of 2003, known as the Black Spring of Cuba.
On that occasion, the Prosecutor's Office requested the death penalty for José Daniel. The pressure from international public opinion following the death in prison of political activist Orlando Zapata Tamayo in February 2010, along with the 135-day hunger and thirst strike by dissident Guillermo Fariñas that posed an imminent risk of death, led to the release of political prisoners after they were offered the option of exile in Spain. Out of the 116 political prisoners released thanks to the intervention of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cuban Catholic Church, 12 prisoners, including Ferrer, refused to leave the island. Ultimately, he was released on August 24, 2011.
Since that moment, José Daniel has been detained and isolated several times, and he has reported torture and lack of medical attention. Both he and the activists of UNPACU have been threatened with imprisonment.
In February 2021, Ferrer was detained for 10 hours under threats of imprisonment if he did not abandon his activism and humanitarian work as soon as possible and seek employment with the state. The Biden administration and the Vice President of the European Parliament, Dita Charanzová, called for the activist's release.
A few days before the leader's arrest, officials from State Security disguised as garlic vendors violently attacked him while he was distributing food to vulnerable individuals in Santiago de Cuba.
After Ferrer put up "Patria y Vida" posters at his home and the UNPACU headquarters, regime supporters arrived in a tow truck, threw excrement, and painted over the façade to remove the posters. Inside the house were his young son, his wife, and several UNPACU activists and promoters of CubaDecide.
José Daniel Ferrer García has been awarded the following prizes:
Truman-Reagan Freedom Award from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation 2020, XIII International Human Rights Award from the Hispano-Cuban Foundation based in Madrid, Democracy Award from the National Endowment for Democracy
