The Provincial Prosecutor's Office in Havana is pushing for a 30-year prison sentence for Ardenys García Álvarez, the primary suspect in an alleged armed uprising plot against the Cuban regime. He is among 29 others facing penalties ranging from 10 to 25 years.
According to prosecutors, García Álvarez, a 40-year-old from Cienfuegos who has resided in the United States since 2014, illegally entered Cuba on October 31, 2023. He allegedly arrived via jetski on the Matanzas coast, bringing firearms, ammunition, knives, and radio communication gear to form armed cells in the provinces of Cienfuegos, Camagüey, Las Tunas, and Santiago de Cuba.
The indictment claims that the plot was orchestrated and funded by the organization "La Nueva Nación Cubana en Armas," led by William Cabrera González from Florida, who is branded a "terrorist" by the Cuban regime. This was reportedly done in collaboration with "Auto Defensa del Pueblo."
Authorities allege the group planned attacks on Ministry of the Interior and Revolutionary Armed Forces officials, sought to sabotage sugarcane fields and tourist sites, and aimed to coerce government leaders into resigning.
The charges further include gathering satellite images and intelligence on strategic military sites in Cienfuegos, and identifying residences of senior police officers for potential contingencies. Thousands of dollars and Cuban pesos were reportedly used to finance logistics, procure military supplies, and recruit economically vulnerable individuals. Seized items included five pistols and hidden ammunition.
The 30 defendants are charged with terrorism, constitutional crimes, espionage, illegal arms possession, unlawful departure from the country, and currency smuggling. However, the prosecution itself admits uncertainty over whether any of these alleged activities were actually carried out, weakening the regime's narrative about the seriousness of the supposed conspiracy.
García Álvarez's mother, Marta Álvarez, dismissed the official account, defending her son to Martí Noticias: "He had been living in the United States for nearly 13 years. He returned to Cuba on a water bike on October 29, 2023, and has been locked up ever since."
Cabrera González, meanwhile, denied any subversive intentions in July 2024, stating, "The military training provided is not with subversive aims" during an interview.
An aspect the regime deliberately ignored was García Álvarez's federal charges in the United States for "conspiracy to transport and harbor migrants," uncovered by a Telemundo investigation. This was not mentioned by Cuban authorities in their case presentation.
The regime publicly disclosed the case in July 2024 through the state-run program "Razones de Cuba," hosted by spokesperson Humberto López, which sparked a wave of memes on social media questioning the official story's credibility.
Boxer Yordenis Ugás also claimed García Álvarez approached him about "some plans," although Ugás was not among the accused. He remarked that he "thought it was a trap" at the time.
García Álvarez has been detained since October 2023, over two and a half years before prosecutors formally sought his conviction, highlighting the sluggish pace of Cuba's judicial process in state security-related cases.
Key Questions About the Alleged Cuban Conspiracy
What are the charges against García Álvarez and his co-defendants?
They face charges including terrorism, crimes against the constitutional order, espionage, illegal possession of arms, unlawful exit from Cuba, and illegal currency trafficking.
Who is William Cabrera González?
Cabrera González is the leader of the organization "La Nueva Nación Cubana en Armas," based in Florida, and is labeled as a "terrorist" by the Cuban regime.
What is the significance of the Telemundo investigation?
The investigation revealed García Álvarez faced federal charges in the U.S. for "conspiracy to transport and harbor migrants," a fact omitted by Cuban authorities in their official narrative.