A young Cuban man, arrested for demanding the restoration of electrical service in the Jimaguayú municipality of Camagüey, is currently staging a protest in prison, as reported by his wife to media outlets in South Florida. According to Martí Noticias, Nelson Caballero Díaz, who was detained on October 18, remains resolute in Cerámica Roja prison, located in the province of Camagüey.
His wife, Daimara Aliaga, stated, “As of Friday, he was still refusing to cooperate, but they haven’t done anything to him yet. He hasn’t been called or taken to the designated protest cell or anything like that. There has been no official report acknowledging his protest.” She also mentioned that Caballero Díaz, a 24-year-old father of two, “is not eating anything.”
A few days following his arrest, the young man declared that he would rather die than remain imprisoned for an unjust cause, according to a report by the non-governmental organization Cubalex on X. Relatives explained to Martí Noticias that Caballero Díaz had stepped out to protest against power outages in his Jimaguayú community, where residents joined in banging pots and chanting peacefully.
During his arrest, however, he was brutally beaten by authorities and a group of informants until several neighbors intervened to stop the assault. Due to his injuries, he was taken to a hospital, where doctors advised monitoring for potential neurological warning signs, as relayed to Cubalex.
His wife was informed of his condition the day after his arrest, at two in the morning, by an officer named Ali who was handling the case. The regime has leveled charges against him, including assault and "incitement to commit a crime," all deemed unjust given that his protest was peaceful.
The plight of this young father mirrors that of many Cubans who have faced prosecution for speaking out against the nation's ongoing crisis.
Understanding the Protest and Its Implications
Why was Nelson Caballero Díaz arrested?
Nelson Caballero Díaz was arrested for protesting against power outages in his community of Jimaguayú, demanding the restoration of electrical service.
What charges has the regime brought against him?
The regime has accused him of assault and "incitement to commit a crime," although his protest was conducted peacefully.
How did the community respond to his arrest?
The community responded by intervening during his violent arrest, helping to stop the assault by authorities and informants.