Cuban political police increase persecution against journalist Yadiris Luis Fuentes

Independent Cuban journalist and editor Yadiris Luis Fuentes has until February 5 to leave her apartment, following pressure by State Security on her landlord, she said on social networks.

According to what Luis Fuentes wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday, the Cuban regime's political police pressured her landlord to evict her within three days. However, after negotiating, they agreed to let her stay until February 5, the day she pays her rent.

"Although it may seem that I have at least time to search, the reality of rentals today in Cuba is the following: there are only offers through intermediaries, prices are exceeding 10 thousand pesos and even reach 400 USD, and history will repeat itself. Security will take me out of every place I go to, at least from every rental," explained the reporter.

Luis Fuentes also claimed that on January 17 the State Security agent assigned to her by the regime, alias 'Manuel,' called her several times on her cell phone. When she answered, he told her that he needed to see her on Wednesday, January 19.

"I told him to summon me. He asked me if I was sure about it. That same day he called my landlord," she added.

Yadiris Luis Fuentes has not yet received an official summons for a new meeting with State Security.

"Manuel has not sent me a summon yet. I don't know if he will or if this was his plan from the beginning. State Security only follows the logic of repression: to decentralize you so that you are not effective in your work, to corrupt everything around you, to close the doors, to suffocate you. I thank you in advance for any information about rents and help," she concluded.

State Security harassment of journalist Yadiris Fuentes increases

The reporter was interrogated for the first time in October 2021 at the Calle 62 police station in the Playa municipality of Havana. There she was threatened with criminal proceedings for alleged “mercenarism.” According to the Cuban Penal Code, “mercenarism” consists of an individual who joins a military group made up of non-citizens of the state in exchange for some kind of payment. 

A month later, on November 12, she was interrogated at the police unit located on Zapata Street, Plaza de la Revolución municipality, Havana.

In the days before the Civic March for Change between November 13 and 16, the journalist was forbidden to leave her home.

Yadiris Luis Fuentes has a degree in Journalism and graduated from the Narrative Techniques Course of the Literary Training Center "Onelio Jorge Cardoso." In 2021, she completed her studies at the Laboratorio de Periodismo Situado de Cosecha Roja and was selected to integrate the 6th LATAM generation of Young Journalists. She has published stories in ADN Cuba and other media on gender violence, child abuse, LGBTIQ+ community, among other topics.