Cuban dissident Guillermo del Sol announced on Saturday, August 29, that he has decided to temporarily end his hunger strike. This decision came after his son convinced him to stop the protest due to the severe deterioration of his health and the high risk of potentially life-threatening complications.
On the 73rd day of his hunger strike, Del Sol explained in a video posted on Facebook that he made this choice at the request of his family, acknowledging the seriousness of his physical condition after requiring emergency hospital care on Friday.
"My son had been trying to convince me since last night, and he succeeded. I want to announce that, at my family's request, I am going to call it off," he stated in the message shared on Saturday, admitting that he arrived at the hospital "in very poor condition."
The activist reported that at the time of his statement, his blood pressure was 220/120, and attempts to lower it had only managed to bring it down to about 170/100, according to his account.
"There is no way to control the pressure anymore, and due to diabetes, I could have kidney failure or a stroke at any moment. The goal is not to commit suicide. It's tough after 72 days without eating," he asserted.
Continued Commitment to the Cause
Del Sol made it clear that suspending the hunger strike does not mean abandoning his cause or admitting defeat.
After 72 days without food, he acknowledged the need to stop the protest to protect his life but insisted he would continue his activism and advocacy for Cuban political prisoners.
"This is not the last battle nor a surrender," he declared, expressing gratitude for the support received from inside and outside Cuba during the ten-week protest.
The dissident reiterated his commitment to those imprisoned for political reasons in Cuba, vowing to continue fighting for their release.
"To me, they are all political prisoners. I will continue loving them, and my commitment is to keep fighting with them. I want to see a free Cuba. I want to contribute to that free Cuba. I want to hug them and get them out of jail. But for that, we have to keep moving forward," he expressed.
International Support and Son's Role
In his message, Del Sol also thanked the numerous people and organizations that supported him during the 72-day protest, both in Cuba and abroad.
He specifically mentioned the backing received from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Argentina, and Colombia, as well as the support of the press, exile organizations, religious representatives, congregations, and churches that had been praying for him.
Del Sol emphasized his determination to defend what he sees as the rights of Cubans, especially thanking his son for staying by his side during the physical decline caused by the hunger strike.
The Son's Anguish
The decision to halt the hunger strike came just one day after a severe health crisis necessitated his urgent transfer to a hospital, as reported by his son, Adrián del Sol, who remained with him throughout the protest.
According to Adrián, between the afternoon of August 27 and the morning of August 28, his father exhibited extremely high blood pressure levels. After midday, his condition significantly worsened.
Adrián stated that the dissident's blood pressure reached 240/130, with a blood sugar level of 3, severe chest pain, severe tachycardia, and numbness in his right hand. The document does not specify the unit for the reported blood sugar level.
Faced with this situation, Adrián decided to take him to the hospital immediately.
"As a son and physical witness of his journey over these 72 days, seeing him in such a critical state, I decided to rush him to the hospital before it was too late," he explained.
Upon arriving at the medical center, Guillermo del Sol was treated in the emergency room by a team that included a cardiologist, an intensivist, and therapy staff, according to his son's testimony.
His dehydration was so severe that it was extremely difficult to access his veins. The attending cardiologist believed that if he hadn't arrived at the hospital when he did, he might have suffered a myocardial infarction due to the strain on his heart.
Doctors administered urgent hydration with Ringer's lactate solution to stabilize him. Adrián noted that his father was extremely weak and nearly lost consciousness.
After about two hours of medical attention and receiving intravenous solutions, the healthcare team managed his admission to Cardiovascular Therapy, but there were no available beds at that time.
Therefore, he remained in the hospital's emergency department while waiting for transfer. According to his son, after observing a slight stabilization in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as well as an improvement in other parameters, Guillermo decided to return home, a decision Adrián said he respected.
Hours after that episode, on Saturday, Del Sol publicly acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and accepted his son's and other family members' pleas to stop the hunger strike.
Protest and Health Risks
Del Sol began his hunger strike on June 19 to demand the release of 18 political and conscience prisoners, a protest also linked to revoking the extrapenal license of Leonel Tristá García, a July 11 protester re-incarcerated days before.
Of the 18 prisoners he advocated for, only Jonathan David Muir Burgos, a 16-year-old, was released. The other 17, including Félix Navarro Rodríguez, Donaida Pérez Paseiro, Saylí Navarro Álvarez, and José Gabriel Barrenechea Chávez, remain imprisoned.
The activist suffers from type 2 diabetes, severe hypertension, asthma, heart disease, and a history of thrombosis, conditions that severely exacerbate the effects of a prolonged hunger strike.
His deterioration was progressive: after 66 days, his blood pressure had reached 200/130, and his glucose level was 3.0 mmol/L. The provincial hospital refused a new admission, citing alleged "lack of criteria."
The platform Cuba Decide and his family directly hold Cuban authorities accountable for any harm that may come to him: "Guillermo del Sol's life is in grave danger. We hold the Cuban authorities responsible for any irreversible consequences for his life and well-being and demand that he receives adequate, ongoing medical care without interference."
This marks at least the fourteenth hunger strike Del Sol has undertaken since the 1990s as a form of political protest against the Cuban regime.
Frequently Asked Questions About Guillermo del Sol's Hunger Strike
Why did Guillermo del Sol start the hunger strike?
Guillermo del Sol initiated the hunger strike to demand the release of 18 political and conscience prisoners in Cuba, linking his protest to the re-incarceration of Leonel Tristá García.
What health risks did Guillermo del Sol face during the strike?
During the hunger strike, Guillermo del Sol faced severe health risks, including the potential for kidney failure, a stroke, or a myocardial infarction due to his existing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, severe hypertension, asthma, heart disease, and a history of thrombosis.
How did Guillermo del Sol's health crisis unfold?
His health crisis unfolded with extremely high blood pressure and other critical symptoms, leading to an urgent hospital visit. Medical staff struggled to stabilize him due to severe dehydration and other complications.
What was the outcome of the hunger strike?
The outcome of the hunger strike saw only one of the 18 prisoners, Jonathan David Muir Burgos, released. Guillermo del Sol ultimately ended his strike due to health risks, but remains committed to his cause.