Filmmaker Ernesto Fundora Assaulted During Documentary Screening on Luis Manuel Otero in Mexico

A group of Communist Party activists from Mexico disrupted the Centro Universitario Cultural (CUC) in Coyoacán, Mexico City, on Wednesday, aiming to sabotage the screening of the documentary "Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara: We Are Connected."

The protest began peacefully but gradually escalated, leading to verbal and physical assaults on attendees, including Cuban filmmaker Ernesto Fundora.

Fundora stated that the Mexican Communist Party itself claimed responsibility for the disruption. According to the outlet La Silla Rota, the goal was to "shut down" the presentation of the documentary about the imprisoned Cuban political dissident.

In a video of the incident shared by Fundora on Facebook, the assailants can be heard shouting insults, including "Damned worms!"

The term "worm" is a historical slur used by the Cuban government against emigrants or dissenters, highlighting the ideological alignment of the attackers with the Havana regime.

This 90-minute documentary, directed, written, and produced by Fundora, delves into the life and activism of Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, an artist and founder of the San Isidro Movement, who has been imprisoned since the July 11, 2021, protests.

Filmed in Cuba between 2016 and 2021, the documentary was completed by Fundora in Mexico City in November 2025. It premiered globally on February 7, 2026, at the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora in Miami, with additional screenings in Little Havana, the Miami Theater, and Tower Road Ranch.

The attack at the Centro Universitario Cultural coincided with the online debut of the documentary on CiberCuba, significantly broadening its reach.

Fundora, a Cuban filmmaker and producer based in Mexico, has a portfolio of over 90 music videos and around 20 documentaries. On May 7, he shared that he had held three phone conversations with Otero Alcántara from prison, during which the activist remained informed about negotiations concerning his potential release.

In an interview earlier this month, Fundora described the imprisoned artist as "the emblem of an era."

This incident is part of a broader trend of actions by groups aligned with the Cuban government abroad, aiming to silence or disrupt cultural and political events critical of the regime. This intimidation tactic has intensified in recent years against the Cuban diaspora.