The independent journalist and political prisoner Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca has been exiled by the Cuban government and is expected to arrive in the United States this Wednesday. Valle Roca, who has been unjustly imprisoned for nearly three years, will leave the country after his wife, Eralidis Frómeta, managed to secure humanitarian parole last month.
The news was confirmed by the Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press (ICLEP) on its website. "The condition imposed by the Cuban regime's intelligence services was that he had to leave the country. In this context, on May 15, Valle Roca was taken by the authorities from Combinado del Este prison, where he was held, to complete migration procedures and was returned to the prison until his release," the statement detailed.
"Yuri is finally free, although under the painful context of exile," commented Normando Hernández, ICLEP's general director, who received a message from Eralidis detailing that the couple took flight 2678, scheduled to land at 10:35 am.
Lázaro Yuri, a communicator for the digital platform Delibera, was arrested on June 15, 2021, and sentenced to five years in prison for continuous enemy propaganda after filming and sharing on social media the distribution of leaflets with 19th-century independence slogans in Havana. He also faces charges of resistance.
Key Details About Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca's Exile
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the exile of Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca and the circumstances surrounding his departure from Cuba.
Why was Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca imprisoned?
Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca was imprisoned for filming and sharing the distribution of leaflets with independence slogans in Havana, which led to charges of continuous enemy propaganda and resistance.
How did his wife secure his release?
His wife, Eralidis Frómeta, managed to secure humanitarian parole last month, leading to his eventual release and exile to the United States.
What was the condition imposed by the Cuban regime for his release?
The Cuban regime's intelligence services imposed the condition that he had to leave the country in order to be released from prison.