SLP, Mexico.- The writer José Gabriel Barrenechea Chávezimprisoned in the Provincial Penal Instruction Center of Santa Clara since November 8, has remained on hunger strike since that day, when he was arrested after the protests that occurred in Encrucijada, Villa Clara.
According to the Cuban pastor Mario Felix Lleonart BarrosoSince his detention, Barrenechea has remained planted, without tasting food.
“We demand his release,” wrote the reverend, founder and coordinator of the Patmos Institute.
Barrenechea Chávez, writer and independent journalist, was arrested last Friday after the protests in Encrucijada, where he resides.
“A local source confirmed to Cubalex that José Gabriel Barrenechea was detained on Friday, November 8 and, since then, his family has had no news about his situation,” the NGO indicated. According to the information available, the journalist is being held in an instruction center in the city of Santa Clara.
#Cuba Today, Friday, November 15, we learned that José Gabriel Barrenechea, on his 8th day of arbitrary detention, remains #Planted Without tasting food, we demand his release: https://t.co/OrZO3jiRhW
— Mario Felix Lleonart (@maritovoz) November 15, 2024
Barrenechea is the author of several books and has collaborated with independent media such as Inverted Tree, 14ymedio and Cuba Meetingin addition to international platforms such as Latin America 21. Due to his critical stance towards the regime, he has been a victim of censorship and persecution by State Security.
“Since 2019, it has been regulated to prevent him from leaving the country, he is denied the right to work, and his books are prohibited in Cuba,” Cubalex noted in its report.
Barrenechea’s would be the ninth confirmed arrest in the context of the demonstrations in Encrucijada.
On November 7, dozens of residents in the capital of that municipality took to the streets and protested at the pace of pot-banging in front of the headquarters of the Municipal Assembly of People’s Power against a 48-hour uninterrupted blackout.
The protest forced local authorities to appear before the protesters and ended with the restoration of power supply.
Residents gathered in front of the local government building, banging pots and pans as a sign of discontent over the prolonged lack of electricity.
In videos circulated on Facebook, Villa Clara residents could be heard shouting: “They are not going to silence us! “The town is more!”
Expressions of social discontent due to the worsening living conditions and the management of the authorities in the face of the current crisis left several detainees in different locations.
The Attorney General’s Office Republic of Cubareported on Saturday that criminal proceedings are being processed for crimes of “attack”, “public disorder” and “damage” in Havana, Mayabeque and Ciego de Ávila, and that a precautionary measure of provisional detention was imposed on the accused.
