Independent journalist and political prisoner Jorge Bello Domínguez has sent a distressing letter from the maximum-security prison in Guanajay, expressing fears for his life. He holds prison officials and State Security directly accountable for any harm to his health or physical well-being.
Dated at 5:35 a.m. on June 12, the letter was made public yesterday by the human rights organization Cubalex, at Bello Domínguez's request.
Within the letter, Bello Domínguez accuses Captain Camilo Ernesto Hernández Ortega, head of the prison's medical clinic, and First Lieutenant Lis Marelis Ajete Suárez, deputy director of medical services, of tampering with his insulin syringes and manipulating his medication.
Bello Domínguez suffers from type II diabetes mellitus with high blood sugar levels, as well as hypertension, making any denial or alteration of his treatment a direct threat to his life.
"I feel like I am walking on the edge of an abyss and I am certain that something is being plotted against me. This is the price of standing firm in my ethical, moral, and ideological beliefs," wrote the journalist from Guanajay.
Background and Previous Incidents
The political prisoner was sentenced in April 2022 to 15 years in prison by a military court for his participation in the July 11, 2021 protests in Güira de Melena, Artemisa. His family and human rights organizations have decried the trial as fraudulent due to the lack of physical evidence and reliance on the testimony of a co-defendant cooperating with State Security.
This recent accusation is not his first. In July 2022, he was assaulted at the Combinado del Este by a discipline officer, and around the same time, his mother reported that he was being injected with insulin using blunted needles, causing abscesses in his arms and thighs.
By June 2025, after being transferred to Guanajay, he had gone two months without receiving insulin or hypertension medication.
Continued Neglect and Legal Actions
On March 31, 2026, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued Resolution No. 21/2026, granting precautionary measures in his favor, which the Cuban regime has ignored.
In that same month, his mother filed a complaint with the Legal Commission in Penitentiary Establishments of the Attorney General's Office, also without response.
In his letter, Bello Domínguez holds the "health systems, State Security department, and prison authorities of the province of Artemisa" responsible for any health or physical harm that may occur to him.
Worsening Conditions for Cuban Political Prisoners
This case highlights the deteriorating conditions for Cuban political prisoners. According to Prisoners Defenders, as of May 2026, there were 1,281 political prisoners in Cuba, 449 of whom suffered from severe illnesses caused or worsened by their confinement and the systematic denial of medical care.
"Dignity is not for sale, cannot be conditioned, and should never be targeted for destruction. This is something dictators and their repressive apparatus fail to understand," Bello Domínguez declares in his letter.
Understanding the Plight of Political Prisoners in Cuba
Who is Jorge Bello Domínguez?
Jorge Bello Domínguez is an independent journalist and political prisoner in Cuba who has been vocal about human rights abuses in the country. He is currently serving a 15-year sentence for his participation in the July 11, 2021 protests.
What are the conditions like for political prisoners in Cuba?
Conditions for political prisoners in Cuba are dire, with many suffering from severe illnesses due to poor health care and neglect. The systematic denial of medical treatment exacerbates these conditions, leading to significant human rights concerns.
What actions have been taken to protect Jorge Bello Domínguez?
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued precautionary measures in favor of Jorge Bello Domínguez, but the Cuban regime has not responded to these actions, leaving him vulnerable to ongoing neglect and abuses.