Amelia Calzadilla: "I Am Not Indifferent to Evil and Lies"

Cuban activist Amelia Calzadilla shared a heartfelt message on Facebook this past Saturday, openly acknowledging the emotional toll of enduring weeks of attacks and slander. Despite this, she remains unwavering in her resolve to advocate for change in Cuba and refuses to resort to using compromising material from her adversaries as a defense.

"Claiming that the slander and attacks I've been facing for weeks don't affect me would be an outright lie; like any human being, I am not indifferent to evil and lies," Calzadilla wrote on her social media profile.

This message was posted weeks after the activist, who is currently exiled in Madrid, established the Cuban Orthodox Liberal Party (PLOC) on April 27, 2026. The party, which leans towards center-right liberalism, draws inspiration from the humanism of José Martí and free-market principles, under the slogan "A new path for Cuba. With principles. With freedom. With you."

Reactions to the New Political Movement

The announcement of this party sparked a wave of reactions, ranging from overwhelming support and membership requests to criticism, satire—including mockery of the PLOC acronym—and what Calzadilla identifies as an orchestrated smear campaign.

"No one facing defamation can feel comfortable while experiencing bullying disguised as freedom of expression," she stated in her post.

Commitment Despite Challenges

Nevertheless, Calzadilla emphasized that her commitment outweighs any discomfort: "When I weigh what I feel in confidently expressing my support for change in my country, the urge to keep participating far exceeds my desire to escape the media storm some insist on keeping me in."

Calzadilla also disclosed that third parties had sent her private messages containing compromising photos and videos of her critics, presumably to publish them and shift the focus of distrust elsewhere. She refused to engage in such tactics.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I do not condone or practice such sordid strategies to invalidate someone's discourse," she wrote.

The activist directly attributed the smear campaign to the Cuban regime and cautioned about the danger of betraying her own values in self-defense: "If I allow my instincts to defend myself against this smear campaign—I am certain it stems from the dictatorship—to make me violate my own ethical and moral principles, then I would have lost the battle."

Historical Context of Calzadilla's Activism

This isn't the first time Calzadilla has addressed the issue. On April 30, she had already publicly responded to the smear campaign and explained the motivations behind founding the party.

The message from Sunday serves as a more personal and reflective second response, where Calzadilla appeals to the idea of building a different Cuba rooted in values: "Restoring decency and respect is also part of the Cuba we should construct."

Calzadilla began her activism in January 2021 by denouncing on Facebook the lack of manufactured gas for 58 families in the Cerro municipality of Havana, a situation that had persisted for eight years.

Her fight went viral in June 2022, making her a target of the State Security. After enduring years of pressure, she went into exile in November 2023, moving to Madrid, where she resides with her husband and three children.

In exile, she has joined opposition structures and serves as the program coordinator for Citizenship and Freedom and is a member of the Council for Democratic Transition in Cuba. On May 8, she expressed gratitude for the Cuban people's trust following the support for her political initiative.

"I fear nothing because I owe nothing, and in the end, the truth always comes to light," Calzadilla concluded in her Sunday post.