Cuban Doctor Exposes How the Regime Exploited, Persecuted, and Left Him Destitute

Dr. Manuel Guerra, a Cuban physician, has taken to social media to unveil the harrowing ordeal he endured under the regime's oppressive grip. He recounted how he was exploited, controlled, and ultimately left homeless after years of political harassment and humiliation.

In a candid Facebook post, Guerra shared his experiences dating back to 2018 when, during his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology, he sought temporary travel authorization to leave the country. His request was denied by Julio Yamel Verdecia, then the director of Holguín's Lenin Hospital and now the provincial director of Public Health. "I was under migratory restrictions; I couldn't even get a passport without his approval," Guerra explained, adding, "He treated me like his property and simply refused."

This denial marked the beginning of a series of retaliations. After posting on Facebook that "if they don't give me a vacation, I'll take one," Guerra was removed from his medical specialty. The punishment was coupled with arbitrary travel restrictions, which remained in place until 2021. He recounted how State Security advised him to leave the country to avoid charges of "disobedience and contempt."

"They practically begged me to resign and leave," he recalled. At the time, Guerra was involved in the civic project Archipiélago, known for its active opposition to the regime, and believed he could contribute to change from within. However, he soon found himself detained, threatened, and required to report weekly to a police station as if he were a criminal.

His story also includes a pivotal moment that led to his complete disillusionment with the system. In 2019, desperate to escape the persecution, he attempted to leave the country illegally through the El Salado area, between Artemisa and Havana. During this attempt, he became the victim of a covert operation by the Mariel Port Authority, which allegedly collaborated with the very traffickers they claimed to fight against.

Guerra described being detained, insulted, and beaten by a major of the National Revolutionary Police in the Caimito unit. "I was called a traitor, a worm, and other insults I prefer not to repeat. They denied me medical attention, and I spent the night in a cell without water or food," he wrote. After three days in captivity, he was released at midnight, penniless, without identification, and far from his province, forced to sleep on the streets.

"I slept like an abandoned dog," Guerra recalled from the United States, where he finally found freedom. When he attempted to retrieve his belongings, he was informed they had "disappeared," with his personal documents and $500 stolen. "I witnessed a lieutenant colonel take my ID from my wallet and say, 'Oh, so there's a doctor in the group.' They denied everything, but witnesses confirmed it," he narrated.

Despite the abuses, the doctor emphasizes that his case is just one among thousands. "I realized beyond any doubt that I lived in a dictatorship ruled by criminals," he wrote, stating that his experience was the breaking point that led him to openly denounce the regime. "Today, I know I made the right decision to leave. Had I stayed, I would have become another political prisoner. The system punishes dignity and rewards submission," he concluded.