Alberto Reyes Highlights the Emerging Voices of Cuban Youth: Jonathan Muir, El4tico, Anna Bensi, and Fuera de la Caja

In a compelling Facebook post, Cuban Catholic priest Alberto Reyes Pías dismantles the regime's official narrative on recent cases of repression and uncovers what he perceives as the hidden truths behind them.

Entitled "I've Been Thinking About What Is and What Isn't," the pastor from Esmeralda, Camagüey, introduces a central theme that permeates the entire message: "In this world, not everything is as it appears, and in Cuba, this reality is even more pronounced."

The Case of Jonathan Muir: A Political Pawn

Reyes first delves into the story of 16-year-old Jonathan David Muir Burgos, who was arrested in March after taking part in protests in Morón, Ciego de Ávila. He remains detained in a maximum-security prison, accused of sabotage.

"Jonathan is being used as a political pawn, a warning to young people, their parents, and even the Churches," Reyes asserts. "He is a trophy for those in power, and they are willing to strip him of his humanity, break him, or even destroy him to keep that trophy."

El4tico and the Silencing of Dissent

The priest also discusses the arrests of Ernesto Ricardo Medina and Kamil Zayas Pérez from the Holguín-based audiovisual project El4tico. They were detained in February in a raid that saw their equipment and cameras seized.

"Had Ernesto and Kamil been terrorists or purveyors of hate speech, society might have welcomed their arrest," warns Reyes, emphasizing that their detention signals a government determined to silence dissenting voices.

Anna Bensi and 'Fuera de la Caja': Voices of a New Generation

Reyes references Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente (known as Anna Bensi), a 21-year-old activist under house arrest since March 25, and the collective "Fuera de la Caja," whose members have faced harassment from State Security targeting them and their families.

"If Anna Sofía and the young members of 'Fuera de la Caja' were disorganized, alienated, or unstable, this government wouldn't have bothered with them," Reyes notes.

He continues, "They represent the voice of the emerging Cuban youth, embodying the true sentiments of the new generation. Their persecution is not an act of justice for the Revolution but an attempt to eliminate a perceived threat."

Critique of the "Mi firma por la patria" Campaign

Reyes also dissects the Communist Party's "Mi firma por la patria" campaign, launched on April 19, boasting over 6.2 million signatures.

A leaked audio on May 2 reveals that individuals were ordered to sign under threat of job termination in workplaces, schools, and stores.

For the priest, the campaign serves as "another reminder of who holds the boot over our necks, and a further demonstration of how fear can be used to control a populace."

Reyes concludes with a poignant question that encapsulates the system's arbitrariness: "Can a broken window cost 15 years of life?" This alludes to the more than a thousand political prisoners detained since July 11, 2021, whom the regime labels as "public disorder promoters" and "destroyers of social property."

"The Cuban people are not foolish, and beyond appearances, we all understand the true nature of things," he concludes, delivering one of his most candid and well-documented critiques of the dictatorship.