Reports indicate that Cuba’s communist government is imposing a 10-year prison sentence on opposition figure Alexander Verdesia following a Facebook post that criticized the current administration.
Verdesia, who is 51, belongs to the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), the country’s largest opposition group, and resides in Rio Cout, Granma. He has been vocal on social media about the bleak living conditions many Cubans face, highlighting issues of freedom of expression and press in the country.
Earlier this year, the regime detained Verdesia, accusing him of “promoting actions against constitutional order.” He was sent to Las Mangus Prison in Bayamo, where the conditions are reportedly inhumane, including sleeping on cardboard and facing food shortages. At that point, no trial date had been assigned.
In a conversation with Martí Noticias, Verdesia’s wife, Eliannis Villavicencio, mentioned that authorities informed them of the impending prison sentence. She noted that the couple would not engage a lawyer, believing it would be pointless, as he intends to represent himself, viewing attorneys as part of the same oppressive system.
Villavicencio expressed her frustration, stating, “In Cuba, different thinking is considered dangerous,” and emphasized that seeking better living conditions doesn’t equate to being a criminal. She pointed out, with palpable indignation, that the true offenders are those who have ruled for over six decades.
Villavicencio also conveyed that Verdesia had his regular phone privileges revoked after he called her using monitored prison phones. She suspects the authorities are afraid he might disclose serious issues happening inside the prison, including malnutrition among inmates. “I’ve heard a lot is going on there,” she added, revealing that some inmates have been awaiting trial for over a year.
As she sought assistance on social media to acquire copies of the Cuban Constitution for Verdesia’s defense, Villavicencio underscored the need to be prepared to counter the accusations against him. “It’s essential to be ready to refute all lies,” she stated.
According to Martí Noticias, Verdesia has a history of political persecution; this would mark the sixth time he has faced charges from the Communist authorities. His past includes being removed from his job at a state-run rice company and facing expulsion from churches aligned with the government in 2014 and 2012.
