MIAMI, United States. – The Cuban doctor and activist Lucio Enriquez Nodarse This Wednesday he obtained a legal victory in the defamation trial he filed against the Spanish citizen Ana Hurtado Martínez, a well-known defender of the Cuban regime.
The judicial process, which culminated on October 1 in the Courts of Albacete, Spain, resulted in a ruling in favor of Enríquez Nodarse, according to the plaintiff himself announced on his social network account. The Court declared that “the defendant, Mrs. Ana Hurtado Martínez” had committed “an illegitimate interference in the right to honor of Mr. Lucio Enríquez Nodarse.”
As a consequence of this ruling, Hurtado Martínez has been ordered to publish, at her own expense and in the same media where she issued the defamatory statements, the ruling that puts an end to the procedure. This publication must be made within 10 days after being officially notified and once the sentence is final.
In addition, the Court imposed compensation of 10,000 euros in favor of Enríquez Nodarse “as moral damages for the damages caused.” The defendant must also bear the procedural costs derived from the trial.
“Ana Hurtado has 20 business days, starting today [30 de octubre]to appeal the sentence, which is not yet final,” explained Enríquez Nodarse.
The legal dispute originated in May 2023, when Enríquez Nodarse made the civil lawsuit public through his Facebook profile. In it, he accused Hurtado Martínez of having identified him as a “little trafficking doctor” and of committing crimes, without presenting any evidence.
The lawsuit also highlights that Hurtado Martínez has carried out several episodes of harassment against members of the Cuban opposition in Spain. In one of these incidents, he not only insulted Enríquez Nodarse, but “accused him of committing serious irregularities and, directly, of being the author of different crimes, which he would carry out in his capacity as a doctor.”
During the oral hearing of the trial, to which Hurtado Martínez did not appear, her legal representative declared her “confessed.” This implies that the defendant admitted having made the statements that Enríquez Nodarse attributed to her. However, the defense argued that his statements were protected by the right to freedom of expression, an argument that was rejected by the judge in charge of the case.
Ana Hurtado Martínez is known for her activism in favor of the Cuban regime, her trips to the Island and her closeness with figures such as ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel.
“This ruling is a victory not only for me, but for all those who fight for truth and justice,” said Enríquez Nodarse after hearing the sentence.
