Cuban rapper and political prisoner Maykel "Osorbo" Castillo has been transferred from Kilo 8 prison in Pinar del Río to the maximum-security facility in Guanajay, located in the province of Artemisa. This information was confirmed by activist Anamely Ramos after receiving a phone call from the artist himself.
"Maykel has called. They have taken him to the maximum-security prison in Guanajay. It's sinister," Ramos posted on her Facebook profile, using the hashtag #freeMaykelOsorbo.
The relocation occurred without any prior notice to Osorbo's family, leaving them uninformed about his new location. This lack of notification is a practice that activists and human rights organizations have criticized as part of the isolation tactics the regime uses against political prisoners.
Maximum Security Conditions in Guanajay
Guanajay is classified as a high-security prison within the Cuban penal system. According to a report by Prisoners Defenders published in May 2026, this facility has been a documented site of torture, sexual assaults, death threats, and the use of common criminals as a means of reprisal against political detainees.
The move to Guanajay signifies a worsening of Osorbo's incarceration conditions, having been removed from Kilo 8 prison under circumstances that left his whereabouts unknown for several hours. Activists report that this marks the fourth consecutive instance of isolation imposed on the artist.
Background and Recent Developments
Osorbo is serving a nine-year sentence handed down in June 2022 on charges of assault, resistance, contempt, and public disorder, all linked to his involvement in the July 11, 2021 protests. He was detained on May 18, 2021, just days before the massive demonstrations that shook the island.
The transfer comes during a particularly tense week for political prisoners associated with the San Isidro Movement. Fellow activist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara was removed from the same Guanajay prison on July 7, as his five-year sentence concluded, only to be kept at an undisclosed location, prompting Amnesty International to publicly demand knowledge of his whereabouts. Amnesty International recognizes Osorbo as a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate release.
International Recognition and Regime's Response
In May 2026, state security agents offered Osorbo the choice between exile or remaining imprisoned until 2030; he chose exile, but the regime did not honor the agreement. In June 2026, Osorbo, along with Otero Alcántara and fellow political prisoner Félix Navarro, received the Democracy Award 2026, an international accolade contrasting starkly with the treatment they endure behind bars in Cuba.
The transfer to Guanajay—where Otero Alcántara was recently held under similarly obscure circumstances—is viewed by activists as an additional punitive measure in a nation where Prisoners Defenders recorded a staggering 1,260 political prisoners as of May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maykel Castillo's Incarceration
Why was Maykel Castillo transferred to Guanajay prison?
Maykel Castillo was moved to Guanajay maximum-security prison without prior notice to his family, in what activists describe as a continuation of the regime's tactics to isolate political prisoners.
What are the conditions like in Guanajay prison?
Guanajay prison is known for its severe conditions, including reports of torture, sexual abuse, and threats against political prisoners, as documented by Prisoners Defenders.