Cuba: Isbel and Jimmy Have Now Been Released

Update on two Cuban anarchists who were arrested in the lead up to self-organized PRIDE demonstrations not sanctioned by the Cuban State.

The following statement was published by Isbel Díaz Torres on the morning of Sunday, May 13, 2019. Some context on the above banner, “Los derechos no se plebiscitan” (“Rights are not to be plebiscited”): During debate over changes to the Cuban constitution, language allowing gay marriage was removed as the state bowed to a public pressure campaign from religious and evangelical groups.

The resulting language, approved in a February referendum, left the question of marriage undefined and was characterized by the state “as a way of respecting all opinions.” According to officials the issue will be put to a 2020 referendum.

Today, Sunday at 7am, after almost 24 hours in police cells in the Aguilera police station, Jimmy and I were freed. The State Security stopped us to prevent us from reaching the independent march against homophobia that, nevertheless, happened. We are well, in our Social Center and Libertarian Library ABRA, [1] and we did not suffer any extra violent abuse to the arbitrary detention. We want to thank all the people and groups that have shown solidarity. And we want to congratulate all of us who showed a capacity for self-organization, without the need for great leadership. The multiple calls, the networks of people and collective allies, the decentralization of the call and the convergence in the fight against homophobia, transphobia, and religious fundamentalism, gave good results. Our solidarity comes to those other people who were also prevented from reaching the march, or who suffered police violence during it. #LaRevoluciónEsNuestra #LosDerechosNoSePlebiscitan

1.”Libertarian” is used here, as it is commonly in Spanish and outside of the U.S., as a synonym for anarchism. The use of the term “libertarian” to describe free market, pro-capitalist politics is generally specific to the U.S.

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To support the work of Taller Libertario Alfredo Lopez members of Black Rose/Rosa Negra in Miami are hosting a fundraisertowards the Jornada Primavera Libertaria conference.

For further information on anarchist perspectives on Cuba we recommend “To my compañerxs on the Left – A Reaction to the Death of Fidel” and “Cuba and the Demonization of Anarchists: A Lesson for Our Times.”