Wilmer Aguilar, the father of Cuban political prisoner Walnier Luis Aguilar Rivera, took to Facebook on Wednesday with a passionate broadcast condemning the continuous abuse and retaliation his son faces while incarcerated. Recently, the regime's authorities have moved his son to the province of Sancti Spíritus.
According to Aguilar, prison guards are coercing the young man into signing documents against his will, despite his mental impairment.
"My son suffers from mental retardation, a brain injury, and after four years of this injustice, they force him to sign something," Wilmer expressed with indignation.
He emphasized that his son was transferred far from his family as a means to isolate him. "My son knows no one in that province and has no reason to be there; they moved him just to keep him away from his father."
In his message, Wilmer Aguilar asserted that the penitentiary authorities are trying to break his son's spirit and warned that if his son protests, he will also demonstrate publicly.
"If my son stands firm, I'll join him at 15th and K," he stated, referencing the location of the Council of State in Havana's Vedado district.
Wilmer Aguilar accused the Cuban regime of targeting political prisoners from the July 11th protests, especially those who are most vulnerable.
"They're taking it out on the people for everything that's gone wrong for them. No one in this country feels happy; they're abusing the people and especially a young man who has done nothing," he expressed.
The father reminded that his son has a diagnosed brain injury and that any official documents must be signed by him as the legal guardian.
"I sign his papers. They shouldn't force him because he has a brain injury," he added.
Aguilar also recounted that on January 1st, a police patrol parked in front of his house while he was with his family, an act he perceived as harassment and intimidation.
"You never rest in your cruelty against the people," he said, addressing the Ministry of the Interior authorities. "Political prisoners here are the weakest link."
Walnier Luis Aguilar, 24, was sentenced to several years in prison for his involvement in the July 11, 2021, protests in Havana.
His case has been documented by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), which granted precautionary measures to his family in 2025 due to ongoing threats and retaliation.
Last November, the U.S. Embassy in Cuba publicly denounced the abuse against Walnier and demanded his immediate release, along with all political prisoners on the island.
The young dissident has been moved multiple times to various prisons across the country, including the one in Agüica (Matanzas) and now Sancti Spíritus. Organizations like the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) label this practice as a "punitive method" used by State Security to isolate political detainees and break their resilience.
Key Questions on Political Prisoner Abuse in Cuba
What are the conditions faced by political prisoners in Cuba?
Political prisoners in Cuba often face harsh conditions, including isolation, coerced document signings, and transfers to distant prisons as a form of punishment and to weaken their resolve.
How has the international community responded to Walnier Luis Aguilar's situation?
The international community, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, has condemned the treatment of Walnier Luis Aguilar and called for his immediate release.