Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, a Cuban dissident artist, has recounted his five years spent in a maximum security prison in Guanajay, Cuba. He was arrested on 11 July 2021 during widespread protests, initially expecting to be held for only a day or two.
Mr Alcántara stated that after an initial month with other 11 July detainees, he spent the remainder of his imprisonment with individuals convicted of violent crimes, including murderers. He described the experience as horrific and one of the worst a human being can have.
He was released after agreeing to exile in the US, arriving in Miami on 18 July. Prior to his departure, he was taken to a state security safe house where he saw family and drank whisky with his guards. Mr Alcántara said he undertook more than six hunger strikes during his time in prison.
In the US, he received the 2026 Democracy Award from the National Endowment for Democracy, and former president George W Bush painted his portrait for a forthcoming book.