A Cuban court has dismissed the appeal of five protesters from Caimanera, Guantánamo, who were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to eight years for their involvement in the 2023 demonstrations. According to the EFE agency, the rejections, confirmed on Tuesday, add to a long list of decisions made by the regime following the protests that have rocked the country in recent years.
In May of that year, the young protesters took to the streets of Caimanera, a town adjacent to the U.S. naval base, chanting "Freedom" and demanding better living conditions. Initially, Cuban authorities dismissed the protest, claiming it was an act of "indiscipline" by individuals under the influence of alcohol. However, the subsequent sentences were harsh, with charges of public disorder, incitement to commit crimes, and assault.
Legal Rejection and Future Steps
Giselle Morfi, head of the legal team at Cubalex, a Miami-based human rights NGO, confirmed that the appeal was denied and that the original sentences, ranging from two to eight years, will stand. The incarcerated men still have the option to pursue a special review procedure before the Supreme Court or the Ministry of Justice.
Community and Family Impact
Victoria Martínez, mother of two of the sentenced men, criticized the dire conditions faced by the people of Caimanera, where the economic crisis has worsened since the protests, as reported by the cited media outlet. "The situation in Caimanera is extremely dire," she stated, describing daily power outages and severe food shortages. These hardships are part of a national economic crisis that includes a lack of medications and fuel, exacerbated by Cuba's ongoing financial collapse over the past three decades.
Specific Sentences and Broader Implications
In 2023, the Niceto Pérez Municipal People's Court sentenced Daniel Álvarez González to eight years in prison, one year less than what the prosecution demanded, for charges of incitement to commit crimes and public disorder. Luis Miguel Alarcón Martínez and Freddy Sarquis González received seven and five years in prison, respectively, for the same offenses. Rodolfo Álvarez González was given four years for public disorder, while Felipe Octavio Correa Martínez was sentenced to two years for assault. Yandri Pelier Matos was acquitted after defense witnesses proved his non-participation in the protest.
The Caimanera sentences are part of a broader strategy by the Cuban government to quell public discontent. Authorities had already sentenced nearly 500 people for their involvement in the historic July 11, 2021, protests, where thousands of Cubans across the island demanded freedoms and social improvements. Human rights organizations like Justicia11J, based in Mexico, have documented over 1,500 arrests related to those protests, with 607 people still in prison and dozens convicted of sedition, a politically charged accusation used to suppress dissent.
This dismissal of appeals reinforces the perception that the Cuban regime is determined to prevent future protests, using these sentences as a warning to the population.