Fernando Pérez Voices Support for Leonardo Romero: "A Fragmented Cuba Awaits if Youth Remain Unheard"

Celebrated Cuban filmmaker Fernando Pérez has publicly shown his support for activist Leonardo Romero Negrín, who was taken into custody on July 1st in Centro Habana amid demonstrations against power outages. Pérez recorded his message during a blackout and shared it through journalist Lisbeth Moya González's social media platforms.

"I'm currently experiencing a blackout, but I've been informed that Leonardo Romero, a young man eager to express his ideas, to build, to engage, and to change much in this country, has been imprisoned," Pérez stated in the video.

Pérez criticized Romero Negrín's detention as "yet another mistake" and warned that the regime's refusal to allow citizen participation has led to a deepening rift between many young people and the government.

"I don't know Leonardo personally, but I am aware of his work. I believe Leonardo shouldn't be in jail, just like other political prisoners who wish to voice their thoughts. This is not the path to follow," he asserted.

The Fracture Between Youth and Government

Pérez's poignant message concluded with a stark warning: "As long as many young people remain unheard and unable to participate, we will have a broken Cuba, not the Cuba we dream of."

Intellectual Alina Bárbara López Hernández shared the video, lauding Pérez as "one of the most important Cuban filmmakers" who "raises his voice for a just cause."

A History of Persecution

Romero Negrín, a former political prisoner with a documented history of persecution, was violently detained during the July 1st protest, as reported by organizations Cubalex and Justicia 11J. He is currently held at the Zanja police station in Centro Habana, with his family left in the dark about his status and health condition.

Authorities aim to charge him with public disorder. Moya González noted that a criminal case has been opened against him, indicating that he will not be released soon.

This is not the first time the regime has targeted him. During the July 11, 2021 protests, Romero Negrín was assaulted by police and fined for public disorder after protesting with a sign reading "Socialism Yes, Repression No." In 2026, the frequency of his detentions increased: held for 12 hours in February alongside Alina Bárbara López, arrested in March for protesting with a blank sign, and detained for nearly ten hours in April.

A Pattern of Repression

Cubalex has denounced this as a clear pattern of persecution against former political prisoners in Cuba, who face "surveillance, threats, arbitrary detentions, and legal proceedings based on false accusations used as tools of retaliation and control."

The arrest occurred during a severe crisis: on July 1st, the country's largest blackout left 65% of the population without power, with millions enduring just two to three hours of electricity daily. It was in this setting of darkness that Fernando Pérez recorded his message, a detail not overlooked by those who shared it.

Pérez is no stranger to taking a public stand. In February 2021, he had already advocated against the repression of young people demanding accountability from the authorities, a stance consistent with his trajectory both on and off the island.

According to Cubalex's complaint, the organization demands that authorities promptly disclose Romero Negrín's situation and "end the criminalization of those who peacefully exercise their rights." Prisoners Defenders estimated around 1,250 political prisoners in Cuba as of the end of March 2026.