Amelia Calzadilla Denounces Former Spy Gerardo Hernández: "You're a Criminal"

The Cuban activist Amelia Calzadilla has fiercely rebuked former spy Gerardo Hernández, who currently serves as the national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), following his recent criticisms of her on social media. In a live broadcast on her Facebook account this Monday, Calzadilla did not hold back and delivered scathing remarks towards the former member of the Wasp Network, labeling him a "criminal" and a "liar."

The controversy unfolded after Hernández posted a reproachful comment about Calzadilla on his personal profile on Saturday. "There is no worse splinter than one from the same wood," he wrote, referencing an earlier post by Calzadilla that sarcastically commented on Israeli attacks against Iranian leaders. She humorously suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might do Cubans a "favor" if he knew what Miguel Díaz-Canel thought of him.

Hernández interpreted Calzadilla's message as advocating for a military invasion of Cuba, responding aggressively: "When you ask for your country to be invaded, don't do it from another place, ask for it while you're there, so you can hear how a missile sounds."

In response to this accusation, Amelia Calzadilla delivered a powerful rebuttal, dismantling the communist official's rhetoric and defending her right to free expression. "Let me tell you directly, Gerardo, that your words do not affect me," Calzadilla began. "You and I are not cut from the same cloth. You are a notorious criminal because the American authorities imprisoned you for espionage activities."

The activist reminded that Hernández was convicted in the United States for infiltrating civil organizations and accused him of involvement in the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, a tragedy resulting in the deaths of four Cuban-American civilians over international waters.

"You are a criminal, you are a convict, and I am a decent, honest, and honorable citizen," Calzadilla added, emphasizing that while he spreads "cheap populism" and engages in "victimhood campaigning" throughout the CDRs, she exposes the regime's injustices from exile. During her broadcast, she also accused Hernández of acting as a "trainer of informants" within the CDRs, using his intelligence background to encourage neighborhood surveillance.

Calzadilla gained prominence in Cuba with a viral video three years ago denouncing the country's shortages and repression. In her latest message, she asserted that Gerardo and the regime are afraid of her: "You are terrified of me. Notice, not just afraid, but terrified because my message is so clear that it doesn't need embellishments to reach the people."

Calzadilla concluded by asserting that while Hernández represents the past, she and other young Cubans symbolize a better future for Cuba, free from oppression and corruption. "You are the real murderer, the one who wants the Cuban people to keep dying as they have been. I speak the truth, you are a liar, a bootlicker," she declared.

Calzadilla's statements have resonated widely across social media, with numerous Cubans expressing their support for the activist and criticizing the former spy's disproportionate reaction.