Cuban writer and former political prisoner Ariel Hidalgo shared with CiberCuba how a State Security interrogator deemed him "completely insane" and subsequently sent him to Havana's Psychiatric Hospital, known as Mazorra. His offense? Suggesting that workers should have the democratic right to elect the directors of their factories and hospitals.
This incident unfolded during one of Hidalgo's numerous interrogations, marking the third time he found himself in such dire circumstances. According to Hidalgo, the officer had dropped the pretense of being the "good cop" and was now fully embodying the "bad cop" persona, pounding on the desk and uttering threats.
When questioned about his vision for Cuba, Hidalgo cleverly trapped the regime with its own Marxist rhetoric: "I want Cuba to fulfill what it claims to stand for. If you say that all means of production belong to the workers, to the people, then it stands to reason that employees should elect their factory directors."
His proposal was to allow the selection of administrators to come from the grassroots level, applicable not just to factories but also to hospitals and any workplace. The officer's response was swift and dismissive: "You're out of your mind, completely insane."
The next day, Hidalgo found himself in Mazorra, specifically in the Carbó-Serviá Ward, which he described as "the worst place imaginable." He recounted being left among prisoners, not just common criminals but also those with mental illnesses, including numerous violators and murderers. "Things happen there, and nothing is ever done about it," he explained.
Hidalgo also revealed knowledge of a political prisoner being burned in that ward: "They burned him and locked him up. And nothing happened."
The Dark History of Mazorra
The use of Mazorra as a tool for political repression is far from isolated. In 2024, Cubalex documented between 20 and 30 cases of dissidents subjected to forced psychiatric evaluations and treatments over the past 15 years in Cuba.
Countless testimonies and human rights organizations have identified the Carbó-Serviá Ward as a unit under State Security control, where electroshocks without anesthesia and forced medication were used to break the spirits of dissenters.
Hidalgo, author of the essay "Cuba, the Marxist State and the New Class," was sentenced to eight years in prison in 1981 after his manuscript was seized. The work criticized the emergence of a privileged bureaucracy that contradicted the revolution's proclaimed principles. Amnesty International declared him a prisoner of conscience.
During his incarceration at the Combinado del Este, Hidalgo, along with Ricardo Bofill and other prisoners, founded the Cuban Committee for Human Rights in October 1983, regarded as the first organization of its kind in Cuba. He was released in 1988 on the condition that he would permanently leave the country, and he now resides in Miami.
Hidalgo's case is not an isolated one; the regime has repeatedly turned to Mazorra to silence dissent. Daniel Llorente, who famously waved an American flag in the Plaza de la Revolución, was similarly sent to the psychiatric hospital by Cuban authorities.
Understanding Political Repression in Cuba
Why was Ariel Hidalgo sent to Mazorra?
Ariel Hidalgo was sent to Mazorra after proposing that workers should democratically elect their factory and hospital directors, which was seen as a radical idea by the regime.
What is the significance of Mazorra in Cuba's political repression?
Mazorra has been used as a tool for political repression, where dissidents were subjected to forced psychiatric treatments to silence or intimidate them.
Who is Ariel Hidalgo?
Ariel Hidalgo is a Cuban writer and former political prisoner known for his critiques of the Cuban regime, specifically highlighting the contradictions within the Marxist state.