Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara Questions His Freedom from Prison in The New York Times

Cuban artist and dissident Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara has voiced his concerns from behind bars about the uncertainty surrounding his release and the ongoing political repression in Cuba. His thoughts were shared through a piece in The New York Times, where he openly questions the future of political prisoners on the island.

The article, titled "I Am One of Cuba's Political Prisoners. When Will I Be Free?", was crafted from within the high-security confines of Guanajay prison. The text reached the outside world via monitored phone calls lasting about ten minutes each, with assistance from Cuban-American artist and scholar Coco Fusco.

The Struggles of a Political Prisoner

Otero Alcántara has been incarcerated for nearly five years, following his arrest on July 11, 2021, during Cuba's most significant anti-government protests in decades. In June 2022, he received a five-year sentence for "insult to patriotic symbols," "contempt," and "public disorder."

In his account, Otero Alcántara notes that in early April, the Cuban government announced pardons for over 2,000 prisoners, described by the Cuban Embassy in Washington as a "humanitarian and sovereign gesture." However, the amnesty excluded those charged with "crimes against authority," a label frequently applied to political dissidents. "In other words, it didn't include me," he writes.

Legal Hurdles and Personal Struggles

His sentence is set to expire on July 9, 2026, as confirmed by the Criminal Chamber of the People's Supreme Court of Havana on April 7, which denied an appeal by Cubalex and stated that no reductions for good behavior were applied.

From prison, Otero Alcántara recounts the rumors circulating among inmates: "that the State won't release me, that the island is running out of food and fuel, that President Trump is going to bomb Cuba."

Despite the Trump administration's demands for the release of high-profile political prisoners and an ultimatum given to the Cuban government in April, the artist admits uncertainty about whether he will be allowed freedom upon completing his sentence.

Art as a Lifeline

Otero Alcántara reveals that concessions given to other inmates—parole, sentence reductions, home visits—have been systematically denied to him, prompting multiple hunger strikes in protest. His most recent strike lasted eight days, from March 30 to April 6, following death threats from agents of the State Security's Department 21 on March 28.

In his essay, he describes daily life in prison as monotonous: the same early morning bell, repetitive headcounts, the same Russian and Cuban state television channels, and meager meals.

What sustains him, he writes, is painting. "I think the State knows that if I couldn't create art, I would die, and that's why the guards allow it: so I don't become a martyr," he asserts.

"I spend hours and hours a day painting on cardboard, on floors, on walls. I paint my despair, my isolation, my frustration. My paintings are like a calendar: a record of each day spent locked up."

A Legacy of Resistance

Otero Alcántara co-founded the San Isidro Movement in 2018, a collective of artists, journalists, and academics advocating for civil liberties in Cuba.

Amnesty International acknowledges him as a prisoner of conscience, and Prisoners Defenders records a historical high of 1,250 political prisoners on the island as of April 2026.

The artist concludes his text by reflecting on the purpose of his sacrifice: "I think of it as trading my time, as if every day I spend in prison isn't a day lost, but another day trying to make my country freer and more just. Like another of my performance pieces, but one that should have ended long ago."