Christian Rodríguez Riverón, a cameraman associated with the Cuban satirical channel "Despingovery Channel," is currently detained and facing espionage charges, as reported by Cuban journalist Ernesto Morales on Thursday.
According to sources close to the situation cited by Morales, Christian was summoned to a police station and was not allowed to return home. He was subsequently transferred to the facility known as "El Reloj Club" in the Boyeros municipality of Havana, where he remains in custody.
His arrest occurred roughly two weeks following the detention of Eduardo "Eddy" Ceballos, the channel's creator, which took place on June 1, 2026.
Morales's source revealed that Christian's family was informed he faces similar charges to those of Ceballos: espionage, defined in the Cuban Penal Code as "disclosure of secrets concerning State Security," a crime punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty.
Both individuals were featured in the video that initiated the case: an exploration of an old military installation in Havana with 1960s Soviet missiles, Cold War-era radars, and bunkers, uploaded on Instagram on May 24, 2026. Morales described the content as "abandoned scrap being passed off as secret weaponry."
The insider also noted that Christian has already provided a statement, which reportedly aligns with Ceballos's account of the events under investigation. His family managed to visit him once and have another visit scheduled for this week.
Ceballos's case has lingered for a month since his arrest without the Prosecutor's Office completing the investigation or bringing the case to court.
The human rights organization Cubalex condemned the initial charge of "military property invasion" as nonexistent in the Cuban Penal Code or the Military Penal Code, labeling the detentions as a blatant violation of the principle of legality.
On June 5, Ceballos was moved to the Combinado del Este High Security Penitentiary, a different facility than where his cameraman is being held. Authorities also confiscated the clothing both were wearing during the filming as evidence.
Ceballos's mother, Marieta Pérez Alfaro, demanded her son's release one month after his arrest and reported that he was physically assaulted while in prison. "The fact that they are taking this to extreme levels, charging him with espionage, confirms they want to silence him, to use him as an example," she stated.
This case fits into a pattern of increasing repression against digital creators in Cuba. Reporters Without Borders ranks Cuba 160th out of 180 countries in its 2026 Press Freedom Index, making it the second worst country in the Americas.
"Regardless of my pain and exhaustion, I will continue to speak out for him," Pérez Alfaro declared on Thursday.
Espionage Charges Against Cuban Digital Creators
What charges is Christian Rodríguez Riverón facing?
Christian Rodríguez Riverón is facing espionage charges, specifically for "disclosure of secrets concerning State Security," which is a serious offense in Cuba.
Why were Christian Rodríguez Riverón and Eduardo Ceballos detained?
Christian Rodríguez Riverón and Eduardo Ceballos were detained following a video they created showcasing an old military installation in Havana. The video was perceived as a threat to state security.
What has been the response of human rights organizations to these arrests?
Human rights organizations like Cubalex have criticized the arrests, claiming the charges are a violation of legal principles and part of a broader pattern of repression against digital creators in Cuba.