Fernando Almenares Rivera, an independent Cuban artist known by his stage name Nando Obdc, has been sentenced to five years in prison for alleged "propaganda against the constitutional order." Independent groups have denounced the trial as politically motivated, unjust, and lacking legal fairness.
The Cuban Youth Dialogue Table publicly condemned the ruling, labeling the November 26, 2025, trial a "sham" and asserting that the verdict highlights the judicial system's use as a tool to suppress freedom of expression and critical art.
The official court document states that the sentence stems from the artist's actions in August 2024, when he "painted phrases with counterrevolutionary content" along a section of the Monumental Highway in Havana. This symbolic gesture was transformed into a criminal offense by the court.
Moreover, the ruling openly targets dissent by claiming that Almenares "associates with individuals disloyal to the revolutionary process," despite acknowledging that he has no criminal record. This underscores the ideological nature of the conviction.
In response, the Cuban Youth Dialogue Table demanded that the judges responsible for the sentence—Kenia Reyes Lara (reporting judge), Jesús Pérez Benavides, Patricia González Vera, Gil Amado Payne Hernández, and Simón Mario Reyes Balmaceda—be added to lists of political repressors for their role in the persecution.
The 35-year-old artist was apprehended on December 31, 2024, at his home in the La Lisa municipality, without prior citation or warrant.
In late July 2025, while being held incommunicado in a prison in Güines, Mayabeque, Nando Obdc went on a hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention without a fair trial. By August, the Dialogue Table reported that he remained imprisoned without clear evidence or a direct link to the charges against him.
Nando Obdc's case adds to the lengthy list of Cuban artists, activists, and citizens jailed for exercising their right to free expression, amid a growing crackdown on critical thought on the island.
Independent organizations have reiterated their call for the artist's immediate release, emphasizing that art is not a crime, especially under a regime that punishes creativity when it challenges authority.
Key Questions About Nando Obdc's Case
What actions led to Nando Obdc's imprisonment?
Nando Obdc was imprisoned for reportedly painting phrases with counterrevolutionary content on the Monumental Highway in Havana, which the court deemed criminal.
Why do independent organizations consider the trial unjust?
Independent organizations argue that the trial was politically motivated, lack of legal guarantees, and used to suppress freedom of expression and critical art.
How did Nando Obdc protest his incarceration?
While in prison, Nando Obdc initiated a hunger strike to protest his extended imprisonment without a fair trial.