MIAMI, United States. – Cuban opponent Zaqueo Báez Guerrero, who works in the capital as coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and promoter of the Cuba Decide citizen initiative, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon.
Báez Guerrero was at his home, located in Calabazar, Boyeros municipality, when agents from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) raided his property.
“Those who attacked the house were dressed in civilian clothes; there was only one officer in uniform inside one of the cars that were parked in front of the house, ”he declared to CubaNet Jonadás Baez, brother of the opponent.
“They took him away in handcuffs. The cars were private and he said that he would be planted on a hunger strike, ”he also assured.
Until the time of publication of this note, the opponent’s whereabouts were unknown. The relatives, for their part, have not been able to count all the objects that were seized during the search.
“We are not aware of whether the officers presented a search warrant or record of confiscated objects, but they never do. We only know that medicines and documents were taken,” added Jonadás.
So far this year, State Security has arrested Báez Guerrero on more than five occasions, with the aim of subjecting him to long interrogations and threatening him with prison.
The last arrest occurred at the end of March, when he was taken to the police station located in Santiago de las Vegas, Boyeros municipality. On this occasion, the human rights activist was threatened with imprisonment for being “prone” to commit crimes of sedition or incitement to commit crimes.
The opponent was one of the protesters on July 11, 2021. Since that date, repression has increased not only against him but also against the other UNPACU activists and promoters of Cuba Decide. Some remain under constant harassment; several have been imprisoned and others forced into exile.
Meanwhile, the UNPACU leader, Joseph Daniel Ferrer, served a year in prison for trying to join the July 11 demonstrations. Currently, he remains in the Mar Verde prison, where his health has deteriorated considerably due to the mistreatment he received, according to complaints from his relatives.
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