The Cuban activist Oscar Casanella revisited a harrowing moment in an interview with Tania Costa on CiberCuba, recounting the time when State Security agents viciously assaulted him during Havana's independent LGTBI march on May 11, 2019. Casanella described the experience with a chilling statement: "I thought I was going to die that day."
Casanella attended the march in support of his friend Ariel Ruiz Urquiola and in solidarity with the LGTBI community, a group he had become familiar with during his studies at the Faculty of Biology. He clarified, "No, I'm not gay, but many of my friends are. I went mainly to support my friend Ariel Ruiz Urquiola." He emphasized his acceptance of sexual diversity with a simple ethos: "The issue is whether people are good or bad, not what they do in their private lives."
Unexpected Violence at the March
The march was spontaneously organized on social media following the cancellation of the 12th edition of the official conga against homophobia and transphobia by CENESEX — the National Center for Sexual Education led by Mariela Castro. Around 200 to 300 people moved from the Paseo del Prado towards the Malecón, chanting slogans like "Yes, we can," until police and plainclothes agents broke it up.
Casanella admitted that attending the march was a "terrible miscalculation." He believed that the presence of international media and diplomats — including Mara Tekach, the U.S. Embassy's charge d'affaires in Cuba — would prevent the regime from using force. "I didn't think they would dare to do something like that in front of everyone, because I was protesting peacefully," he remarked. He was there with his wife and their young son, just one year old.
Brutal Repression and Aftermath
The crackdown was swift. State Security agents singled him out by name and forcibly removed him from the protest. "They grabbed me by the arm, called me by name, and said: 'Oscar Casanella, you will not continue protesting, you will not continue in this march.'" Behind a construction barrier at Prado and San Lázaro, the attack began. "They were brutal, trying to handcuff me, and eventually they did. Then the beating started," he recounted.
Independent journalist Mónica Baró Sánchez captured part of the assault and witnessed the agents striking Casanella on the forehead. An international news agency correspondent also recorded attempts to restrain him. The next day, Casanella was photographed with visible injuries and filed a complaint on May 21 with the Military Prosecutor for assault, unlawful detention, and coercion, providing photos and videos as evidence.
The interview with Tania Costa was partly motivated by fellow activist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara's comments: "I don't know if Oscar is gay, but Oscar was there." The presence of a heterosexual man at the march was notable in a society deeply ingrained with machismo.
Casanella was scheduled to appear this Friday, the 28th, before an immigration judge in Miami as part of his ongoing removal process that has been unresolved for over a year since his final asylum hearing in June 2025 ended without a verdict. The new hearing was unexpectedly set for August 2026, without prior notice to him or his lawyer. It has now been postponed to January 2027.
Key Questions About Oscar Casanella's Experience
What prompted Oscar Casanella to participate in the LGTBI march?
Oscar Casanella joined the march to support his friend Ariel Ruiz Urquiola and to express solidarity with the LGTBI community, despite not being gay himself.
Why was the LGTBI march held in Havana?
The march was organized spontaneously on social media after CENESEX canceled the official conga against homophobia and transphobia, prompting the community to independently demonstrate.
How did the authorities respond to the march?
The police and plainclothes agents dispersed the march violently, leading to the assault and arrest of several participants, including Oscar Casanella.