Cuban Journalist Defies Regime During International Award Acceptance in Atlanta

The Afro-Cuban journalist Abraham Jiménez Enoa was honored with the Percy Qoboza Award for Foreign Journalists by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) last Saturday during their 2026 convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Taking the stage, he sent a powerful message to the Cuban regime: "They cannot silence us."

This prestigious award, named after South African journalist Percy Qoboza—who faced imprisonment and exile for opposing apartheid—celebrates foreign journalists who have triumphed over significant challenges and contributed to the progress of the African diaspora.

Jiménez Enoa, a founding member of the digital narrative journalism magazine El Estornudo and a former columnist for The Washington Post, left Cuba in 2021 after the regime gave him a stark ultimatum. "Four years ago, I received a call from the Cuban government with a choice: prison or exile," he shared upon receiving the award. "I chose exile, which is why I'm here today, without my family or loved ones by my side. They aren't here because I chose to be a journalist and to tell the truth."

Having lived in Barcelona, Spain, for the past four and a half years, Jiménez Enoa remains separated from his family, a direct result of his journalistic endeavors.

The Intersection of Press Freedom and Black Struggle

In his acceptance speech, Jiménez Enoa intertwined personal and political narratives, linking the fight for press freedom with the Black struggle, emphasizing their shared "unwavering refusal to be silenced."

"I accept this award on behalf of my skin, my country, my history, everything within me," he declared. "I come from Cuba, an island where independent journalism is met with imprisonment or exile."

Addressing the regime directly, he stated, "To the Cuban dictatorship, I remind you that Black rebellion runs deep in our veins. From slavery to exile, my people have always known how to break chains. You expelled us, but you cannot silence us."

The Personal Toll of Exile

Jiménez Enoa also reflected on the personal impact of his exile: "These four years away have rekindled my Black identity. Being distanced from my family and homeland has deepened my connection to my culture, history, and race."

He concluded by dedicating the award to those still in Cuba: "I dedicate this to my colleagues who continue to resist on the island. We will persevere with pride, for Cuba, for truth, for the unyielding dignity of our Blackness."

Jiménez Enoa's Fight for Truth and Recognition

Jiménez Enoa's career has been consistently marked by the regime's systematic oppression. In 2020, State Security agents interrogated, stripped, handcuffed, and threatened him for his writings on Cuban realities. Following the 2021 anti-government protests, he was forced into exile by a regime ultimatum. In 2022, he received the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and in July 2023, he reported threats from two men in Spain, whom he suspected were Cuban agents.

The NABJ 2026 award solidifies Jiménez Enoa's standing as a prominent voice in Cuban independent journalism in exile, during a year when the Havana regime continues to imprison numerous journalists and activists.