Adrianna Machado, the wife of visual artist and rapper Fernando Almenares Rivera, better known as Nando OBDC, has revealed troubling conditions about her husband’s incarceration in Combinado del Este to CiberCuba. She reported on Thursday that the activist is suffering from a severe cold that has weakened him, is sleeping on the floor of a cell, and is sharing the space with individuals carrying the HIV virus.
In her interview with CiberCuba, Machado stated that while Nando OBDC's mother is focused on getting her only son out of prison, her own priority is "to get him out of Cuba." Machado recounted how on December 31, 2024, Nando OBDC did not write to her before 9 a.m. as he usually did, sparking her intuition that something was amiss. A relative later confirmed her fears, informing her that Cuban political police officers, dressed in civilian clothing, had detained the rapper on terrorism charges. Initially taken to the seventh Police Unit of La Lisa, he was then moved to Villa Marista, and is now held at Combinado del Este.
According to Machado, her husband is accused of links with Miami-based individuals planning sabotage in Cuba. The only supposed evidence confiscated from the urban artist's home in San Agustín, Havana, was a Cuban flag, despite state security searching for computers, memory devices, and documents that never existed, as she emphasized.
Recently, Nando OBDC's activism had focused on highlighting the trash issues in San Agustín and the impact of "chemical" on the street corners of his neighborhood, one of Havana's areas most plagued by drug trafficking and use.
At 34, Nando OBDC had been collaborating with various projects since 2020, such as Exprésate, Fuego contra el Fuego, the Arte Prohibido exhibition, and the album Libres por Derecho. "His arrest isn’t because he’s a terrorist, but because his actions greatly disturbed the dictatorship," Machado, who has resided in the United States for years, asserted. She met Nando OBDC in 2023 during a family trip to Cuba, and they have maintained a long-distance marriage ever since.
Nando OBDC previously attempted to enter the United States in 2016 through the Mexican border but was deported back to Cuba by Mexican authorities. His wife recalls him lamenting how a freedom activist like himself was sent back to Havana, while the oppressors enter Miami with ease.
Furthermore, Machado recounted how she followed her husband’s instructions upon learning of his arrest, which he had prepared her for. She reached out to Cubalex, a legal team led by activist Laritza Diversent, which highlighted Nando OBDC's degrading prison conditions on social media this Wednesday.
Even though Nando OBDC's lawyer requested a change in his detention status, the regime rejected it. Following a dawn raid on December 31, 2024, all the political police could confiscate from his home was a Cuban flag and photographs of graffiti on his room’s walls. In a regime lacking judicial independence, that was deemed sufficient to keep him behind bars.
Key Questions About Nando OBDC's Detention
What are the charges against Nando OBDC?
He is accused of having connections with Miami-based individuals planning sabotage in Cuba, although the evidence is limited to a confiscated Cuban flag.
What has Nando OBDC's activism focused on recently?
His recent activism has highlighted the trash problems in San Agustín and the impact of drug use, referred to as "chemical," in his neighborhood.
What actions has Adrianna Machado taken in response to her husband's arrest?
She followed her husband's pre-arrest instructions by contacting Cubalex, a legal team that has since publicized his harsh prison conditions.
Why does Adrianna Machado want to get Nando OBDC out of Cuba?
She believes his activism threatens the dictatorship, and she wants to ensure his safety and freedom outside of Cuba.