Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara addressed the uproar on social media regarding a watch he has been wearing since arriving in Miami. He dismissed the controversy with a straightforward yet compelling argument: the watch is inexpensive, costing around $30, and was gifted to him by someone who cares about him.
"The watch proves they can't tell a croquette from a hot dog because anyone with basic knowledge of watches knows this is a cheap one; bought anywhere; it cost 30 bucks and was a gift from someone who loves me," stated the co-founder of the San Isidro Movement during an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba.
The controversy arose shortly after Otero Alcántara's arrival in Miami on July 18. Critics on social media, some with ties to the Cuban regime, suggested that the watch was a luxury item inconsistent with the image of an activist.
Otero's Take on the Irony
Otero himself acknowledged the irony of the situation. What started as a gesture of affection turned into ammunition for criticism. "This comes from a place of love and has turned into a whole movie about the watch," he remarked.
To highlight the absurdity of the argument, he posed a hypothetical scenario: "Let's say tomorrow Marco Rubio gives me a $40,000 watch. So what? Is that going to make me stop fighting against the dictatorship in Cuba?"
His response was unequivocal: political commitment doesn't depend on what one wears. "Do I have to dress in rags, with a high level of hunger, a high level of need to prove I'm someone who can fight for Cuba's freedom? Honestly, that's nonsense, brother. It’s something you carry in your mind," he asserted.
Challenging Stereotypes of Dissidence
Beyond the jest, the activist identified a deeper issue. The notion that a dissident must live in poverty to be genuine is, in his view, a direct legacy of communist equalitarianism. He referred to the "anthropological damage" the dictatorship has inflicted on Cubans both on and off the island.
During the same interview, Otero didn't hide his personal tastes. "I love dressing well," he added unapologetically.
Moreover, the activist announced on CiberCuba his plan to auction the watch and donate the proceeds entirely to Cuban political prisoners, hoping it might fetch as much as $20,000 in the sale.
Redirecting the Focus to Political Prisoners
Otero's main message went beyond the disputed object. He urged redirecting the debate's energy towards those who need it most: the over 1,000 political prisoners still languishing in Cuban jails, many without public visibility and enduring conditions he acknowledged he had not faced due to his international profile.
"If you're focusing now on whether Luis Manuel is chubby or about a watch, you're just wasting time. Right now, in Cuba, there are more than a thousand political prisoners," he warned.
The organization Prisoners Defenders reported 1,281 political prisoners in Cuba as of May 2026, many arrested following the July 11, 2021 protests, the same popular uprising for which Otero was detained and later sentenced to five years in prison.
Understanding the Controversy Surrounding Luis Manuel Otero's Watch
What sparked the controversy over Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara's watch?
The controversy began when critics on social media, some connected to the Cuban government, suggested that Otero's watch was a luxury item inconsistent with his activist image.
How did Luis Manuel Otero respond to the criticism about his watch?
Otero dismissed the criticism by explaining that the watch was a simple, inexpensive gift costing around $30, and he emphasized that political commitment is not determined by material possessions.
What is Luis Manuel Otero's intention with the watch now?
Otero plans to auction the watch and donate all proceeds to Cuban political prisoners, with hopes that the watch might raise up to $20,000.