Center for a Free Cuba

CubaBrief: Over 1,200 Political Prisoners Remain in Cuban Jails Despite Regime’s Mass Release Claims. CFC Launches Petition Drive Demanding Their Freedom. cubacenter.org/cuba-brief/202… 1/

Sheinbaum dice estar “orgullosa” de apoyar a Cuba y niega opacidad sobre el envío de ayuda bit.ly/48FuhNF 👉 Según 'El Universal', La Habana pidió a México reservar por cinco años los datos de la cooperación bilateral para evitar supuestos boicots

“No dejaremos ningún detalle sin investigar”: Fiscal de Florida hable sobre el caso de Hermanos al Rescate  – Telemundo Miami (51) telemundo51.com/noticias/local…

Hija de Fidel Castro pide cambio de régimen en Cuba y lanza fuerte crítica al sistema vigente dlvr.it/TRyKTZ

Americas Program Deputy Director and Senior Fellow @CHernandezRoy and Associate Fellow @HenryZiemer join CSIS experts to explore the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Cuba, laying out recommendations for the United States and international community: csis.org/analysis/prepa…

Venezuela’s Prisons Are Still Full of Military Rebels Despite U.S. Pressure. I spoke with @WSJ 's @WSJForero about the loopholes in Venezuela's amnesty laws: wsj.com/world/americas…

Los cacerolazos suben de tono en La Habana y los comento mientras camino por la calle Infanta este jueves, donde hablo también del extendido reclamo popular de un cambio de sistema en #Cuba. youtu.be/Rpyh2y77wBc?si…

A recent report from the UNHRC’s Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua highlights the country’s campaign of #transnationalrepression, which includes “violations designed to deter, punish and silence exiles.” Nicaragua is not alone in targeting dissent abroad. On April 16, Freedom House will release new data on global trends in #transnationalrepression. Learn more about our existing work here: freedomhouse.org/report/transna… Read the UNHRC report here: ohchr.org/en/press-relea…

"Fue un gran gusto por fin conocer a Anna Sofía Benítez @_annabensi y su Mamá. Me contaron sobre su situación y que se encuentran bajo reclusión domiciliaria. Sofía me dijo que lo único que ha hecho es expresar sus ideas, su fe, y sus aspiraciones como Cubana que ama su patria. Es una joven valiente que dice las cosas como son. Es de admirar.” Mike 🔨

💔Detrás de cada preso político en Cuba hay una familia rota. Madres, padres, hijos… viviendo en angustia constante. Cuando el régimen anuncia supuestas liberaciones, la esperanza vuelve. Corazones acelerados. Expectativas. Incluso hospitalizaciones por el impacto emocional. Y después, el golpe: todo era una mentira. Un truco para confundir, para ganar tiempo, para aliviar la presión internacional. Mientras tanto, el sufrimiento sigue. El régimen no libera. Manipula. @jlarron en @CNN :::: 💔Behind every political prisoner in #Cuba lies a broken family. Mothers, fathers, children… living in constant anguish. When the regime announces supposed releases, hope returns. Hearts racing. Expectations. Even hospitalisations due to the emotional impact. And then, the blow: it was all a lie. A ploy to confuse, to buy time, to ease international pressure. Meanwhile, the suffering continues. The regime does not release prisoners. It manipulates. #Cuba #PoliticalPrisoners #HumanRights #Justice

#DiarioDeCuba |  #HumanRightsWatch cuestiona que haya un 'gesto humanitario' en el indulto del régimen #cubano y exige liberar a todos los #PresosPolíticos. Mientras, el Tribunal Supremo confirma la condena al ar... f.mtr.cool/fyxmkpgxoa

A cada anuncio oficial le cae un aguacero de desconfianza. #Cuba #SOSCuba

Con un déficit del 90% de los medicamentos, se estudia el cierre de varias farmacias en #Matanzas bit.ly/4bMGCSt 👉El colapso se debe a la falta de transporte para traer los fármacos desde La Habana, explica una funcionaria del sector Salud

Press Advisory – For Immediate Release Over 100 academics, former diplomats, opposition leaders, and human rights advocates appeal to world leaders to prioritize the release of Cuban political prisoners Center for a Free Cuba. Washington DC. April 9, 2026. Over 100 human rights advocates, religious leaders, writers, artists, intellectuals, journalists, businessmen, former diplomats and academicians appeal to world leaders to prioritize the release of Cuban political prisoners. Among the signatories are Regis Iglesias Ramirez, spokesman of the Christian Liberation Movement, a prisoner of conscience who spent seven years in a Cuban prison; Anamely Ramos González, Cuban art historian, curator, professor, and human rights activist; Guillermo Marmol, businessman and Chairman, Center for a Free Cuba; Ambassador Everett Briggs, former U.S. ambassador to Portugal and Panama; and Ambassador Andras Simonyi, Former Hungarian ambassador to the U.S. and NATO. Also, among those signing, are: Carl Gershman, President Emeritus, National Endowment for Democracy; Carlos Eire, author, and professor at Yale University; Miriam de la Peña, mother of Mario de la Peña, one of the four Brothers to the Rescue pilots murdered by Cuban MiGs in 1996; Sirley Ávila León, human rights activist and victim of regime orchestrated machete attack in 2015, and Janisset Rivero, writer and human rights activist. Signers urge that leaders with unique influence over the Cuban government—prioritize the immediate release of all political prisoners in Cuba and use their platforms to bring urgent international attention to their ongoing plight. This appeal was sent to the President of the United States Donald J. Trump; His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, High Representative Kaja Kallas of the European Union, and the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney. Havana is engaged in a disinformation campaign, announcing on April 2, 2026 the pardon and release of over 2,010 prisoners as a “humanitarian and sovereign gesture,” but as of April 8, 2026 common prisoners have been released, but no political prisoners have been pardoned. Guillermo Marmol, chairman of the Center for a Free Cuba, stated: “The international community must act now. By uniting voices from academia, diplomacy, the Church, and civil society, we are sending a clear message that the Cuban people’s suffering will not be ignored.” The petition remains open and available for signature on Change.org at change.org/FreeAllPolitic…. Below is the full text and first 33 signers as of April 9, 2026. A full list of signers is available upon request. ### Petition: Urgent Request to Prioritize the Release of Cuban Political Prisoners and Bring Global Attention to Their Plight Addressed to: The Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and the Holy See High Representative Kaja Kallas, European Union The Honorable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada We, the undersigned citizens and human rights defenders, respectfully request that you—leaders with unique influence over the Cuban government—prioritize the immediate release of all political prisoners in Cuba and use your platforms to bring urgent international attention to their ongoing plight. The Cuban dictatorship is currently engaged in a disinformation campaign, announcing the pardon and release of over 2,010 prisoners in early April 2026 as a “humanitarian and sovereign gesture.” Families of political prisoners, independent human rights organizations, including Prisoners Defenders, Cubalex, the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights, and other international monitors, confirm that the vast majority of those released are common prisoners. The announcement deliberately excludes those convicted of “crimes against authority”—the charges the regime routinely uses to criminalize peaceful dissent. As a result, more than 1,214 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience remain arbitrarily detained simply for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and protest. These individuals endure inhumane prison conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement, denial of adequate medical care, torture, insufficient food and water, and deplorable sanitary standards. Families are subjected to systematic harassment and surveillance. Compounding this crisis is Havana’s longstanding refusal to grant access to independent monitors: the Cuban government has not allowed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit its prisons since 1989. To bring global attention to this reality, we highlight these 10 cases of Cuban political prisoners who remain imprisoned: Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara – Internationally recognized artist and leader of the San Isidro Movement; imprisoned since July 2021 for peaceful artistic activism and criticism of the government. He began a hunger strike in March 2026 amid death threats and fears of sentence extension. Maykel Castillo Pérez (“Maykel Osorbo”) – Grammy-winning musician and co-author of the global protest anthem “Patria y Vida”; detained since May 2021 and serving a nine-year sentence for his activism. He has faced repeated transfers to high-security prisons, physical assaults, and severe health deterioration. Félix Navarro Rodríguez – Veteran opposition leader and founder of the Pedro Luis Boitel Party for Democracy; re-arrested in April 2025 and held in prolonged isolation despite his advanced age and health concerns. Sayli Navarro Álvarez – Prominent activist and daughter of Félix Navarro; imprisoned for her human rights defense work and participation in nonviolent dissent. Donaida Pérez Paseiro – President of the Free Yoruba Association; re-arrested in May 2025 for her advocacy on behalf of religious and political freedoms. Loreto Hernández García – Recognized prisoner of conscience; detained for peaceful opposition activities, with reports of deteriorating health and denial of medical care. Alexander Díaz Rodríguez – Imprisoned for exercising freedom of expression and assembly, diagnosed with thyroid cancer since 2022 without proper medical treatment. Jaime Alcide Firdó – Opposition figure re-arrested in April 2025 amid the regime’s crackdown on dissidents. Rolando Yusef Pérez Morera – Recognized opposition activist, one of the leaders of the 11J protests, he is in a severe state of malnutrition without medical attention. José Gabriel Barrenechea – Independent journalist sentenced to six years in prison in January 2026 for participating in a peaceful street protest during a blackout. These cases represent the broader reality of more than 1,200 political prisoners, including hundreds from the July 2021 (11J) protests, artists, journalists, and ordinary citizens. We respectfully ask that you prioritize the following: The immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. Immediate granting of full access to Cuban prisons for the International Committee of the Red Cross and independent international monitors. An end to inhumane prison conditions, torture, and the criminalization of peaceful dissent. The release of all political prisoners would represent important, verifiable progress and could serve as the first essential step toward any consideration of lifting or easing U.S. sanctions on Cuba. It would also demonstrate meaningful advancement in fulfilling the human rights commitments under the European Union’s Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) with Havana. Your leadership at this pivotal moment—leveraging U.S. influence, the Vatican’s trusted mediation role, the EU’s diplomatic and economic ties, Canada’s diplomatic and economic ties — can help shine a light on these injustices and secure concrete humanitarian outcomes for the Cuban people. We humbly appeal to you to act decisively and publicly to prioritize their freedom and dignity. Sign and share this petition widely. Guillermo Marmol, businessman and Chairman, Center for a Free Cuba Carlos Eire, Professor of History and Religious Studies, Yale University Miriam de la Peña, activist for victims’ families and against the Cuban dictatorship, Mother of Mario de la Peña, one of the four Brothers to the Rescue pilots murdered by Cuban MiGs in 1996 . Regis Iglesias Ramirez, spokesman, Movimiento Cristiano Liberación. Father Alberto Reyes, Cuban Catholic Priest Anamely Ramos González, Cuban art historian, curator, professor, and human rights activist. Manuel E. Iglesias Esq., entrepreneur, President, Center for a Free Cuba Nestor T. Carbonell, Cuban-American author, businessman (former Pepsi executive) Ambassador Everett Ellis Briggs, Cuba-born, member of the U.S. Foreign Service, retired Miriam Kornblith, Senior Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the National Endowment for Democracy Ambassador Andras Simonyi, Former Hungarian ambassador to the U.S. and NATO Carl Gershman, President Emeritus, National Endowment for Democracy Sebastián Arcos, human rights activist, interim director, Cuban Research Institute, Florida International University Raimet Martinez Avila, Pro-democracy activist, coordinator, Coalición Cubano-Canadienses (Cuban-Canadian Coalition) Father Juan Lázaro Vélez González, Cuban Catholic priest Nancy Alfaya, Cuban human rights activist, women’s rights defender, artist, cultural promoter Germán J. Miret, Cuban exile, human rights activist, Catholic lay leader, author, radio host Julio Estorino, retired Cuban journalist, radio personality, and oral historian; longtime collaborator with Monsignor Agustín Román. Dr. Eduardo Zayas-Bazán, Professor Emeritus, East Tennessee State University Luis Eligio D Omni, Cuban poet, performer, visual artist, and activist; founding member of the Omni Zona Franca collective Sandra Cordero, Cuban artist and cultural producer; Jorge Olivera, journalist, poet, and dissident. Victor J. Pujals, engineer, civic leader Raul G. Marmol, business entrepreneur, civic leader Dora Amador, journalist. Sirley Ávila León, human rights activist and victim of regime orchestrated machete attack in 2015. Frank Calzon, former executive director Center for a Free Cuba, former Washington representative Freedom House Janisset Rivero, writer and human rights activist Carlos Luis Martínez, Cuban-American Ph.D. student in Economics at George Mason University. Ruhama Fernandez, former Cuban political prisoner, human rights advocate, and political activist. Armando Chaguaceda, PhD in History and Regional Studies, Universidad Veracruzana (Mexico); Federico Justiniani, MD., expert on Cuban medicine John Suarez, executive director, Center for a Free Cuba Thank you for standing with the Cuban people and helping bring attention to their struggle for justice and freedom. Petition available for signature here: c.org/VMyMbQ59FT

La #CIDH denuncia “vulneraciones a los #derechos laborales” en las #misiones_médicas de #Cuba bit.ly/4tgzAM5 👉🏻Los galenos han experimentado “prácticas de retención de ingresos, jornadas laborales extensas y la asignación de tareas ajenas a la labor sanitaria”

La Seguridad del Estado aumenta el acoso contra el Centro de Estudios Convivencia. Mientras, el régimen mantiene al #PresoPolítico Alexander Fábregas desde hace dos meses en celda de castigo. LEE MÁS en #DiarioDeCuba diariodecuba.com/derechos-human…

🎙☕️ En el #Podcast Cafecito informativo de hoy: 🏚 Construir desde la ruinas 🛩 Condenan a Global Air en México 🚜 Esconder la basura antes que recogerla 📘 Tarde de autor con la escritora #cubana Wendy Guerra en Hialeah youtu.be/AYg_ev7eHrU?si…

Havana releasing 2,010 prisoners as a "humanitarian gesture." "Cuba’s government denies holding political prisoners, but the activist group Prisoners Defended registered 1,214 people imprisoned for political reasons in Cuba as of February." youtu.be/H5VfxZ2lIm8 via @AP

This is why we are circulating a petition to prioritize the plight of political prisoners, and calling for their release. Over 100 people have signed. change.org/p/urgent-reque… 3/3

Major human rights monitors—including Human Rights Watch, Prisoners Defenders, and Justicia 11J —have confirmed that none of those released were political prisoners. cubacenter.org/petitions/2026… 2/3

As of April 8–9, 2026, no Cuban political prisoners have been released following the April 2 announcement of pardoning and releasing of 2,010 prisoners. 1/3