Jose Daniel Ferrer and His Possible Departure from Cuba
HAVANA TIMES – In the dimness of the soul, where the whispers of pain intertwine with echoes of hope, stands the figure of the human being — fragile and strong at once. How much humiliation can a person endure in pursuit of dreams that flee like shadows in the night?
Amid a torturous existence, it is inspiring to see that a spark remains, a voice that defies oppression. The very essence of humanity is forged in the fire of adversity, like iron tempered in the flames — yet every human being has a limit.
It once seemed that Jose Daniel Ferrer did not have one, given all he has had to endure — emotionally and physically — over the past decades.
With every fall, he rose again — not with less courage, but with greater conviction — embracing his naked truth. After each humiliation, in each pain, he found the seed of greatness, because the human spirit, though scared, continues to seek the breath of freedom, woven through the golden threads of dignity.
However, this time Ferrer seems to have hit rock bottom, and the leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) is reportedly considering going into exile.
Reports of harassment, physical assaults, and threats against his close circle are alarming and may have led him to send a letter to his family, in which he leaves open the possibility of going into exile — something he had repeatedly refused to do before.
“I made this decision for the safety of my family and because of the frustration caused by the disunity, sectarianism, and lack of effectiveness of the opposition both inside and outside Cuba in the struggle for our country’s freedom and well-being,” reads the document, dated September 10 but published this Friday.
“Another reason that led me to consider exile has been the complicit or weak stance of the free world toward a criminal tyranny allied with the main enemies of freedom on the planet,” adds the statement, released by his sister Ana Belkis Ferrer.
Although going into exile could give him a more effective international platform to advocate for human rights in Cuba and put pressure on the regime — as many opposition leaders have done — he likely sees it, deep down, as a kind of defeat, even if he does not admit it directly in his letter.
While his leadership may no longer seem crucial for mobilizing various sectors of civil society on the island, his moral impact remains unmatched — a beacon of hope for many Cubans who long for political and social transformation in their country but lack the courage to act.
Therefore, his exile could be seen as a surrender to a regime that continually proves its capacity to exert pressure, potentially triggering a crisis within the Cuban opposition, discouraging other activists, and lowering the movement’s morale.
Yet one must think of the man behind the ideas.
After all, exile does not mean the end of the struggle. Many before him have continued promoting democracy from abroad. International organizations, foreign governments committed to the Cuban democratic cause, and the solidarity of other nations can provide a framework of support — allowing his voice to continue resonating, perhaps even more than now — since being imprisoned most of the time keeps him only partially heard.
Let us recall that Ferrer was released in January as part of a group of more than 530 prisoners in an agreement between Cuba and the Vatican, following the Biden administration’s decision to remove the island from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. He was arrested again in April for failing to comply with the onerous terms of his conditional release.
Since returning to prison, he has continued to denounce “brutal beatings, torture, humiliation, and threats,” as well as thefts of food and hygiene products by common criminals encouraged by the regime in exchange for privileges and impunity — along with “other cruel, inhuman treatment” and harassment of his relatives.
In fact, in the letter he admits that he had already made the decision to go into exile before his last arrest, due to concerns for his loved ones’ safety and his frustration over the opposition’s disunity.
He also added that the dictatorship was fabricating videos to discredit him — portraying him as an agent of State Security — and pressuring him to make statements favorable to the regime.
“I leave Cuba with my dignity intact,” he declares, adding that authorities wanted him to marry (a required step to take his partner with him) on August 13 — to exploit the political symbolism of Fidel Castro’s birthday — but he flatly refused.
According to his family, the decision now depends on the authorities’ response: if they do not accept his conditions, he is willing to remain imprisoned.
Is it a victory or a surrender?
First of all, if there is anyone who cannot be asked to sacrifice more for Cuba, it is Jose Daniel Ferrer, for no Cuban has endured such martyrdom. His disillusionment may appear as a defeat, but it is rather a slap in the face to the Cuban people’s inaction — especially those who play along with the dictatorship’s charade in every exchange with the country’s leaders.
None of those people deserve such sacrifice, because Cuba’s freedom cannot be the work of a single man — it must be the work of all. And if he ultimately leaves, he will surely continue the fight from another trench.
Let’s keep the door open — remember that the other major figure of the Cuban opposition, Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, also said he would go into exile but ultimately didn’t, because the dictatorship, in its arrogance, sought to humiliate him as well.
It is clear, then, that the departure of such a symbolic figure is not in itself a victory for his oppressors — and they know it.