On February 18, the disappearance of professor and activist Alina Bárbara López was reported in Matanzas after she left her home for her routine monthly peaceful protest.
According to a message shared on her Facebook profile, the academic set out in the morning to participate in her regular demonstration, which she conducts peacefully every 18th of the month, and she had not returned home since.
"Her phone is turned off. At the PNR Playa station, they refuse to tell us if she is there," stated the message shared by her family members.
The complaint further asserts that withholding information from family members constitutes a violation and demands that the authorities provide accurate details about her whereabouts.
Alina Bárbara López protests peacefully on the 18th of each month and has frequently been detained by authorities on these occasions.
Organizations and activists have repeatedly condemned these arrests as attempts to suppress her right to free expression.
There is currently no official confirmation regarding whether the professor is in police custody.
Her family and friends continue to demand immediate information about her situation and location.
Additionally, her daughter, Cecilia Borroto López, reported on Facebook that both Alina Bárbara López Hernández and activist Leonardo Romero Negrín are missing.
She explained that they both went to Liberty Park in Matanzas to be there by 10 a.m., and the family has been unable to contact either of them.
She noted that her mother's phone is either off or out of coverage, that the police refuse to provide information over the phone, and that her mother has not been able to call her lawyer, despite having the right to do so.
"I demand to know immediately where Alina and Leo are," she insisted.
López, recognized as one of the most critical intellectual voices against the regime on the island, is also facing legal proceedings alongside activist Jenny Pantoja Torres.
Both were charged on June 18, 2024, with alleged offenses that López Hernández has denounced as false and fabricated by the police under the guidance of the Counterintelligence agencies.
She has publicly stated that the process dragged on for over seven months due to delays that she believes were politically motivated, given the challenges of prosecuting two academically and socially recognized women both nationally and internationally.
The hearing was scheduled for January 30 at 9:00 a.m. in the Municipal Court of Matanzas and was officially announced as public, although López Hernández herself warned that this designation is rarely honored in practice.
Subsequently, the court postponed the trial without providing any explanations, according to information shared by Jenny Pantoja on social media and in a judicial document released by her.
Key Questions Surrounding Alina Bárbara López's Disappearance
What led to Alina Bárbara López's disappearance?
Alina Bárbara López disappeared after leaving for her routine monthly peaceful protest in Matanzas. Her absence was reported after she failed to return home.
What actions have been taken by her family and supporters?
Her family and supporters have demanded immediate information about her whereabouts, criticizing the police for withholding details and refusing communication.
Who is accompanying Alina Bárbara López?
Activist Leonardo Romero Negrín accompanied Alina Bárbara López to Liberty Park in Matanzas, and both are currently missing.