Heartfelt Accounts from Alina Bárbara López and Jorge Fernández Era Following Their Arrest in Matanzas

The recent arrest of Cuban intellectual Alina Bárbara López Hernández, alongside writer Jorge Fernández Era and doctor Lilian Borroto López, has once again highlighted the Cuban government's persistent pattern of repression, arbitrariness, and systematic harassment against those attempting to exercise fundamental rights such as peaceful protest.

This incident occurred in the city of Matanzas, the same place where López has been staging civic protests on the 18th of each month since March 2023.

In a detailed account shared on Facebook, Alina Bárbara López clarified that her arrest was not an isolated incident but rather a calculated move by a regime driven by fear and the frailty of its unpopular system. She linked her detention to a virtual session of the National Assembly of People's Power, where Matanzas' deputies were gathered in the provincial government building near Freedom Park, the site where she intended to protest with a sign demanding the release of political prisoners.

According to López, for months, authorities tolerated her protests as a way to relieve pressure. However, on this occasion, they resorted to repressive tactics once again at the mere sight of a citizen demanding rights in front of government officials. "It wasn't a violent act, but the deputies couldn't stand the sight of someone with a sign," she reported.

A Harrowing Detention Without Warrant

Alina recounted being intercepted without a warrant, as had happened before, by officers who admitted to not knowing the reason for her arrest, claiming they were following orders. Detained at the PNR Unit of Playa around 9:00 am, she was held until about 8:00 pm in a dilapidated office above the cells, with deteriorating furniture, lacking basic hygiene conditions, and an unsanitary restroom.

Throughout her detention, no one provided an explanation for her loss of freedom. Only a State Security doctor appeared to measure her blood pressure, which she hadn't requested. As a 60-year-old with hypertension, she complied to document her physical condition.

The atmosphere within the station was unusually tense, with constant patrol movements, officer gatherings, and palpable tension. The situation became clearer when she broke the silence, chanting slogans in support of political prisoners. She then heard a familiar voice from the cells—it was Jorge Fernández Era, detained along with Lilian Borroto, Alina's daughter, who had been placed in a women's cell.

Lilian was arrested while protesting her mother's detention and was transported with Fernández Era in a civilian car.

The "Psychologist" and Power's Justification

One of the most intense moments arose when a civil-dressed investigator from the Technical Investigations Directorate, posing as a psychologist, attempted to undermine the nonviolent protest. He asserted that "the revolution won't topple with shouts and little signs" and proclaimed the regime had been "on top for 67 years." Alina rebutted with a compelling discourse on the history of social change, the downfall of dictatorships, the nation's economic ruin, and the distinction between revolution and government.

Her testimony suggested that the official's initial arrogance gradually turned into doubt. Before ending the exchange, López issued a stern warning: her daughter's detention had crossed a serious line.

Warnings, Blackouts, and Unsigned Statements

At 6:00 pm, a power outage left Alina and the overseeing officer in darkness, surrounded by mosquitoes, with no resolution to their situation. Eventually, she was moved to another office where they attempted to impose a warning statement on her for allegedly violating a home confinement order, confiscating her protest sign. She refused to sign any documents, reaffirming her commitment to protest and denouncing the illegality of the process.

Upon release, she found Jorge and Lili already freed, along with family members who had been waiting all day. She expressed gratitude for the support from neighbors, colleagues, her daughter's patients, and various independent media and platforms that followed the case.

Jorge Fernández Era: Tales of Confinement and Dignity

Jorge Fernández Era shared his account titled "The Floating Courage," describing his early arrival in Matanzas to meet Alina, the unusual police presence, and his subsequent arrest with Lilian as they headed to the police unit for answers.

Confined in an unsanitary courtyard-cell, exposed to the sun without a bathroom, amidst puddles and rats, he was later moved to a dark office. He confirmed that their release was ordered only after the National Assembly session concluded. He also refused to sign the warning statement, defending the peaceful and constitutional nature of their protests.

Fernández Era expressed pride in sharing the detention with Alina Bárbara López, praising her courage, intelligence, and dignity. However, he lamented the social fear and the limited civic presence supporting these protests in a city plagued by blackouts and shortages.

A Recurrent Pattern of Repression

These arrests add to a long list of arbitrary detentions targeting activists, intellectuals, and citizens striving to exercise rights recognized even by Cuba's own constitution. Alina's family has reported ongoing harassment, surveillance, interrogations, and the Prosecutor's Office's inaction regarding previous complaints against State Security.

Alina Bárbara López's protest, also linked to International Migrants Day, once again highlighted the Cuban exodus crisis, the existence of political prisoners, and the criminalization of peaceful dissent. Her demands remain unchanged: freedom, rights, and an end to repression.

The events in Matanzas not only expose the erosion of fundamental guarantees but also the fragility of a system that resorts to detentions and threats in response to a simple sign and an unwavering voice.