Last Thursday's arrest of Cuban mother Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez in Río Cauto (Granma) was not an isolated incident in the region this past month. On February 6, 2025, the political police took opposition member Alexander Verdecia Rodríguez into custody. As the coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu) and a former political prisoner, Verdecia is accused of sharing social media posts allegedly threatening the constitutional order. He was promptly sent to the provincial prison in Bayamo, known as Las Mangas.
José Daniel Ferrer, the leader of Unpacu, told CiberCuba that Verdecia, who coordinates activities in Río Cauto, was detained for posting what the political police deem "counter-revolutionary" content. Additionally, he faced charges for attempting to travel to Santiago de Cuba with other local activists to visit Unpacu's main headquarters.
Beyond the arrest of a family man with two young daughters, the political police also issued a summons to his wife, amidst demonstrations in Río Cauto and Guamo Viejo, a rural area, where hundreds protested for Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez's release. She was detained for speaking out against the hunger and poverty at the Ángel Fría square in the municipality. Eliannis Villavicencio Jorge, Verdecia's wife, was summoned to a Bayamo police station—a 50-kilometer trip without public transportation—on Saturday at 8 AM. She was unable to comply due to the impossibility of leaving her young children behind in Río Cauto.
Given the widespread local protests following Carrasco's arrest, the political police seemed less concerned with questioning Villavicencio. The Cuban Communist Party faced difficulties when its first secretary in Granma attempted to quell the protests by citing the "achievements of the revolution" for the people. The only accomplishment mentioned was the provision of electricity over 66 years, which was diminished by frequent blackouts.
Villavicencio revealed via Facebook that the sector chief of Río Cauto verbally summoned her to the Provincial Police Directorate in Granma. She also disclosed that during a visit to see her husband in Las Mangas prison on February 24, an officer threatened her, suggesting she might face her husband's fate if she continued sharing information online.
Her situation mirrors that of Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez, who, as of now, is rumored to have been released, though CiberCuba has not confirmed this. Both women, mothers of young children, endure harassment from political police more focused on regime preservation than addressing Cuba's drug and crime issues. Amid the protests, authorities cut communications to prevent the spread of demonstrations similar to those on July 11, 2021, across the country.
With a population of around 45,000 (as of 2022), Río Cauto gained attention in February 2024 when a resident, during a visit by Díaz-Canel, went viral for her phrase, "Yo me erizo," which became a meme, song, and dance. A year later, the town's residents have taken to the streets to demand the release of Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez, a mother of three, who questioned the whereabouts of Fidel and Raúl Castro's revolution, declaring, "everything has fallen apart."
FAQs on Recent Arrests in Río Cauto
Why was Alexander Verdecia detained?
Alexander Verdecia was detained for sharing social media posts deemed "counter-revolutionary" by the political police and for attempting to travel to Santiago de Cuba with other activists.
What prompted the protests in Río Cauto?
Protests erupted in Río Cauto following the arrest of Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez, who was detained for speaking out against hunger and poverty in Cuba.
What challenges does Eliannis Villavicencio face?
Eliannis Villavicencio, wife of Alexander Verdecia, faces challenges in complying with police summonses due to her responsibilities as a mother and threats from the political police.