On Saturday, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara spoke about the tragic nature of his forced departure from Cuba, just hours after his arrival on American soil following five years of imprisonment.
"It's crucial to recognize that I've been expelled from Cuba and that this is not right. This is wrong," stated the artist and co-founder of the San Isidro Movement during an interview with El Estornudo at Miami's Ermita de la Caridad del Cobre.
Otero Alcántara landed in Miami on July 18 on American Airlines flight AA2706 from Havana, after the Cuban regime demanded his release be conditioned on permanent exile from the island.
His arrival came after a week filled with uncertainty, during which his whereabouts were unknown—a situation Amnesty International described as a forced disappearance.
The Emotional Toll of Exile
The artist acknowledged that the excitement he feels now is temporary. The true impact of exile will manifest once he has spent more time living in the United States.
"I am also here to understand exile. We'll see how I feel tomorrow when the excitement fades, when I breathe air that isn't from home, can't see my son, and cannot return. Of course, I will feel damaged, and that's not right. But I will work from that understanding," he affirmed.
Transformation Behind Bars
Reflecting on his five years in Guanajay's maximum security prison in Artemisa, Otero described undergoing a profound personal transformation.
"First, I am more human. Prison is a place where you look into the eyes of people who, despite committing the worst crimes, are still human. There, you don't let hatred turn your heart to stone, because that's what those in power intend," he noted.
At the Ermita, he performed an act of art involving the assembly of a broken Virgin Mary statue brought from Cuba, symbolizing the fractured nation.
A Call for Change
Upon his arrival in Miami, Otero Alcántara sent a direct message to the regime: "It's time to give in because this is about more than just a lack of food. Millions are suffering, families are separated. People here can't go back, and they lose their loved ones without a final goodbye."
In January 2022, when the regime offered him exile as an alternative to imprisonment, Otero rejected it, saying, "I will die here." Four years later, his forced exit occurred under conditions he deems unacceptable.
The artist confirmed that his 16-year-old son remains in Cuba, as he chose not to bring him immediately. He wants to first understand the realities of exile before allowing his son to make his own decision.
"There are so many fractures between Cuba and exile. People think you just go to the U.S. and everything's okay, but it's not. There's pain here too," he acknowledged.
His first words on American soil also included a call to action: "I came to work... Every minute wasted is another minute of dictatorship."
Understanding Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara's Struggle
Why was Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara expelled from Cuba?
The Cuban regime conditioned his release from prison on a permanent and irrevocable exile from the island.
What did Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara do upon arriving in Miami?
He performed a symbolic art piece involving a broken Virgin Mary statue and delivered a message urging the Cuban regime to change.
How did Otero Alcántara describe his prison experience?
He described it as a transformative period where he learned to maintain his humanity despite the harsh conditions.
What are Otero Alcántara's plans in the U.S.?
He plans to work tirelessly to bring attention to the dictatorship in Cuba, emphasizing that any wasted time is further oppression.