In a continued display of repression, Cuban State Security officers apprehended Berta Soler, the leader of the opposition group Ladies in White, on Wednesday as she stepped out of her residence in the Lawton neighborhood of Havana. This arrest occurred while Soler was en route to attend a reception at the United States Embassy in Havana in celebration of the upcoming Fourth of July.
Her husband, former political prisoner Ángel Moya Acosta, revealed the arrest on Facebook, highlighting that a heavy security operation had been in place around the headquarters of the Ladies in White, which also serves as Soler's home, since early morning. This location is under constant surveillance and has frequently been the site of arbitrary detentions and acts of repudiation by Cuba's communist regime forces.
The detention of Soler is part of a routine tactic employed by the government to suppress her activism and that of her organization. This incident arises amid rising tensions, with fears of possible demonstrations as the anniversary of July 11 approaches—a date marking the 2021 social uprising that shook the nation and exposed widespread public dissatisfaction with the government.
In April, Soler attended the Palm Sunday Mass at Santa Rita Church in Havana, accompanied by Mike Hammer, the head of the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. Despite a similar repressive operation around the Lawton headquarters, she was able to participate at that time. The Ladies in White, along with Soler, a recipient of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize, continually face government repression for their peaceful advocacy of political prisoners' freedom and human rights in Cuba.
Understanding Berta Soler's Arrest by Cuban Authorities
Who is Berta Soler?
Berta Soler is the leader of the Ladies in White, an opposition group in Cuba that advocates for the release of political prisoners and human rights.
What prompted Berta Soler's arrest?
Berta Soler was arrested by Cuban State Security as she left her home to attend a reception at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, ahead of the Fourth of July celebration.
How does the Cuban government respond to the Ladies in White?
The Cuban government frequently uses surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and acts of repudiation to suppress the activities of the Ladies in White and their leader, Berta Soler.