Cuban Artist Luis Manuel Otero on Prison Hunger Strike

By Javier Moreno Diaz

HAVANA TIMES – Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, activist for civil and artistic rights, has been on a hunger and thirst strike in prison since July 6^th.

Serving an unjust sentence of five years and without the option of appealing for probation, an arbitrariness that the Cuban regime imposes on those who wake up, the leader of the San Isidro Movement reacts in this way to the upcoming anniversary of the July 11, 2021 protests. He demands not only his freedom but also that of the more than a thousand political prisoners in jails of the dictatorship.

On platforms such as Facebook, his friends and close followers show concern since this is his sixth hunger strike so far. He has been in prison for two years now and his state of health suffers, although his unwavering firmness to fight remains.

A few days ago, another San Isidro Movement member, rapper Maykel Osorbo, imprisoned like Luis Miguel and facing an unjust sentence of nine years, sent a letter to Otero Alcántara in which he expressed his admiration more than for the leader, for the brother and a man who, despite adversity, does not give up his efforts for a prosperous and free Cuba.

Luis Manuel’s relatives believe that with mass support, this situation can be reversed. From the different Internet platforms, they call not only independent artists, but all honest people, to raise their voices for the more than a thousand political prisoners who are unfairly separated from family and friends just because they think differently.

In the Cuba of the twenty-first century, an awakening is needed, decision-making and actions that the moment demands.

Luis calls for justice, fairness and transparency, freedom, and commitment, not pity.

Together we can enforce the universal maxim that the average human knows but ignores. I want the first law to be the complete freedom and full dignity of humanity.

It is not so difficult.

For the human being there is nothing impossible.

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