Wendolín (Wendy) Campuzano Almaguer, the eldest daughter of Cuban sports journalist Armando Campuzano, is facing criminal charges in Cuba. She is threatened with a six-year prison sentence and the potential loss of custody of her three young children, which her father claims is direct retaliation for his critical book against the Castro regime.
Last Saturday, Wendy shared a video on Facebook from her home in Havana. In it, she accused two officers from the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) and a State Security agent of threatening and intimidating her.
"I'm being threatened and intimidated by two PNR officers and a State Security agent. I'm in the middle of a criminal process where they're asking for six years, six years in prison, and I haven't done anything," she stated.
The trial is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15.
Family Separation Threats
The young mother also revealed that authorities are threatening to send her children—Yacer, 12; Isabela, 5; and Rebeca, 3—to a boarding school far from their parents. "How can they separate three young children, ages three, five, and twelve, from their parents? Destroy a family," she questioned in the video.
In his Facebook post, Armando Campuzano disclosed a detail about the case. During his daughter's conversation with the police, a State Security agent lost his temper and explicitly said, "You'll pay for the worm of your father."
Background and Retaliation
Campuzano, a former sports commentator on Cuban Television for over 30 years and living in Canada since 2017, links this retaliation directly to his book "Cuba, the Titanic of the Caribbean" (2025), which exposes crimes and abuses by the Castro regime over more than 60 years.
The journalist recounted that before publishing the book, he consulted his daughter, aware that she might face repercussions for remaining on the island. Wendy's response was resolute: "Go ahead, dad, there's no fear here."
Allegations and Defense
The formal charges against Wendy involve a commercial property assigned to her by the government and an alleged assault on a law enforcement officer.
Her father dismisses these charges as a pretext: "The housing issue and the alleged assault on an officer are pure nonsense, just an excuse to unleash their anger and hatred on my daughter."
Wendy also posted on Facebook, refuting the accusations: "I'm not a criminal. They are the criminals who abuse their power because they wear a uniform, pressuring people, separating families, separating children from their parents. I demand justice."
Campuzano mentioned that about a year ago, he received an anonymous phone call with subtle threats against his children, indicating that the harassment his family faces isn't new.
This case is part of a documented pattern of the Cuban regime using family members who remain on the island as leverage against exiled dissidents.
The Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press documented 114 attacks on freedom of expression in Cuba in January 2026 alone, amidst a repressive escalation linked by human rights organizations to international pressure on Havana.
"They won't intimidate me at all, and they certainly won't silence me," Campuzano declared in his video, addressing the regime's agents directly.
Understanding the Cuban Regime's Repression Tactics
Why is Wendy Campuzano facing criminal charges in Cuba?
Wendy Campuzano is facing criminal charges allegedly as retaliation for her father Armando Campuzano's critical book against the Castro regime. The charges involve a commercial property and an alleged assault on an officer.
How is the Cuban regime using family members to target dissidents?
The Cuban regime is known to use family members remaining on the island as leverage against dissidents in exile, employing threats and intimidation to pressure and silence them.
What measures has Armando Campuzano taken in response to the threats?
Armando Campuzano has publicly denounced the threats and intimidation against his family, refusing to be silenced by the regime's actions.