Political Prisoner Andy García on Hunger Strike for 11 Days; Parents Protest Outside Prison

The parents of political prisoner Andy García Lorenzo, who has been on a hunger strike for 11 days to protest the violation of his rights, staged a protest on Sunday outside Guamajal Prison in Santa Clara, demanding answers from the authorities. "My parents are outside the prison right now," announced Roxana García Lorenzo, Andy's sister, on Facebook. "Their reasons are clear, but the authorities and State Security continue to remain silent," she emphasized.

"We demand answers. We demand that the regime act immediately. This is not a matter of pride; it's a matter of life or death. If anything happens to Andy, you will be responsible," warned Roxana.

García initiated the hunger strike to demand the return of personal letters confiscated by prison authorities. His mother, Tayri Lorenzo Prado, reiterated her commitment to advocating for her son's rights: "We continue to raise our voices for our son Andy García's freedom. We will not be silenced. Return his belongings now; time is running out for everyone."

In a series of posts in recent hours, the mother has persisted in her demands to the regime: "State Security, I want my son Andy Dunier García Lorenzo alive, read carefully, alivvvve" (…) "Murderers, don't let him die, return his belongings now. What are you waiting for? Time is ticking for his life, but for you too. TIC, TAC."

On the previous day, the mother managed to speak with the medical staff responsible for her son, revealed Roxana. "Although they claim to have the necessary supplies, no medical tests have been conducted, leaving us uncertain about his true health condition. The only thing we know is that he still hasn't eaten," she wrote.

Ongoing Human Rights Violations

García has approximately seven months remaining to complete a four-year prison sentence imposed by the regime for his participation in the historic protests on July 11, 2021, in Santa Clara, Villa Clara. During more than three years of incarceration, the young man has been subjected to systematic human rights abuses, including the denial of parole and sentence reduction. In November 2022, his sister reported that García was being subjected to psychological torture, beatings, and mistreatment in the work camp where he was held.

During a previous prison visit, his mother described him as "extremely thin, with sunken eyes and difficulty breathing." "Andy could barely speak; he had to do it slowly because he had no strength left," recounted Lorenzo, distressed by her son's fragile condition.

International Attention and Family Concerns

The family fears for his life, recalling that during a previous hunger strike, he was beaten and subjected to inhumane treatment by prison guards. Andy García Lorenzo's case has been closely monitored by international organizations, which have denounced human rights violations against him and other political prisoners in Cuba, as highlighted in an October 2022 report by Human Rights Watch.

The family has also been subjected to acts of repudiation and harassment by the regime's oppressors and, over the years, has held the Cuban regime and State Security accountable for any physical or psychological harm that García may suffer.