MADRID, Spain.- Cuban artist and political prisoner Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara thanked the Prince Claus Fund for the prestigious award granted this week.
“Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara has just called me. Super happy for the award. He says that he is now a prince,” he reported through Facebook art curator Claudia Genlui.
In statements to Radio Television Marti The activist added that Otero Alcántara is very grateful to all those who have supported and, in some way, recommended him for this award.
“It’s his third nomination and, well, they finally gave it to him. It is a great support, both financially and from a professional point of view, for him, for his career as an artist, ”said Genlui.
Because he is serving a five-year prison sentence, the opponent will not be able to be present at the award ceremony, endowed with 50,000 euros. According to a spokesman for the Prince Claus Fund, he will be safeguarded until his release.
The United States joins in the congratulations
After it emerged that the Cuban artist was among the six winners of the 2022 Prince Claus Impact Award, the United States government sent him a congratulatory message.
“We congratulate Luis Manuel Otero for his well-deserved recognition with the Impact Award from the Prince Claus Foundation of the Netherlands, for his contributions to Cuban society and the world,” said the United States Embassy in Cuba through Twitter.
Just as he insisted that the artivist “deserves to be released immediately.”
We congratulate Luis Manuel Otero for his well-deserved recognition with the Impact Award from the Prince Claus Foundation of the Netherlands for his contributions to Cuban society and the world. He too deserves to be released immediately. We celebrate all Cubans who claim their rights.
— Embassy of the United States in Cuba (@USEmbCuba) September 7, 2022
Prince Claus Impact Award 2022
This prize, awarded by the Dutch fund of the same name, is awarded every two years to artists who, from their communities, carry out relevant, necessary and inspiring work, addressing political issues, related to the environment or in defense of human rights.
The foundation considered LMOA a creator who “has used art and cultural expression to challenge the continuous violations of freedom of expression by the Government” and “acts critical of the conditions faced by many Cubans.”
In the current edition of the award, Ailton Krenak, from Brazil; Maria Medrano, from Argentina; May al-Ibrashy, from Egypt; Hassan Darsi, from Morocco and Alain Gomis, from Senegal.
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