Doris Santiesteban Batista, the wife of Ernesto Ricardo Medina, a founding member of the independent audiovisual project El4tico, shared a heart-wrenching message on Facebook this past Saturday. The post marked 218 days since her husband's arrest, who has been detained in Holguín since February 6, 2026.
Her message, succinctly titled "218 Days," described the family's visit to the prison that day and the emotional moment when their four-year-old daughter, Emma, burst into tears while saying goodbye to her father.
"I can accept feeling bad because I'm an adult and I understand things, but watching my daughter cry because she has to say goodbye to her dad, who she only sees every 15 days for just two hours, no, that I can't accept," Doris expressed.
The mother also recounted a poignant incident: after watching a movie where a father leaves his daughter, Emma remarked, "Look, my dad left me too."
"I cannot accept that my four-year-old daughter, who doesn't yet understand why her dad is in prison, watches a movie where a father leaves his daughter and then says that," Doris wrote, before asking with anguish, "How much longer?"
Ernesto Ricardo Medina and Kamil Zayas Pérez, both founders of El4tico, a sociopolitical critique project launched in Holguín in 2024, were apprehended by State Security in a raid on their homes. During the arrest, authorities seized computers, phones, cameras, and other equipment.
The Holguín Prosecutor's Office accuses them of "propaganda against the constitutional order" and "incitement to commit a crime," charges that could lead to up to nine years in prison.
Both remain in provisional detention without any formal charges filed or trial date set. The organization Cubalex has condemned this situation as a blatant violation of due process, demanding their immediate release.
The case has sparked ongoing international pressure. The U.S. State Department issued a statement just three days after the arrest. In April, Mike Hammer, the Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, met with Doris Santiesteban to gain firsthand insight into the situation. Six months into the detention, the U.S. Embassy publicly called for the immediate release of the two young men.
Last week, as the imprisonment hit the seven-month mark, human rights organizations reiterated that the founders of El4tico remained without trial or formal charges.
Doris has been the family's public voice from day one. In every message, she has placed Emma at the center, highlighting the broader impact of arbitrary detention beyond the detainees themselves.
In her latest post, she staunchly defended the detainees: "They are cultured young men, from good homes, and more intelligent than many who claim to be."
She concluded with a question that encapsulates the gravity of these 218 days: "They say children are the hope of the world. Now tell me, what hope will my daughter have when she grows up and truly understands why her dad is imprisoned?"
Key Questions on the Detention of El4tico Members
What are the charges against the El4tico founders?
Ernesto Ricardo Medina and Kamil Zayas Pérez face charges of "propaganda against the constitutional order" and "incitement to commit a crime," which could result in up to nine years in prison.
How has the international community responded to the detentions?
The U.S. State Department and other international organizations have applied pressure, demanding the release of the El4tico founders, citing violations of due process.
What impact has the detention had on the families of the detainees?
The families, particularly the children, have been deeply affected, with Doris Santiesteban highlighting the emotional toll on their daughter, Emma, who struggles to understand her father's absence.