Marco Rubio demands immediate release of over 700 political prisoners in Cuba

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday demanded the immediate release of more than 700 political prisoners in Cuba. His demand came as dissident Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara arrived in Miami after five years of imprisonment on the island.

In a statement, Rubio confirmed the artist's arrival and urged the international community to join the United States in calling for an end to the repression and the release of those detained for political reasons. "The international community must stop turning a blind eye to the human rights violations of the Cuban regime and join us in demanding an end to its repression," Rubio stated.

Friends and human rights activists welcomed Otero Alcántara at Miami airport. His release was confirmed on Facebook by his associates as his plane departed Havana. The statement noted that his freedom came at the cost of his permanent departure from Cuba, a move seen as consolidating the Díaz-Canel government's strategy of using forced exile to silence dissent.

Human rights organizations report that over 700 people remain detained in Cuba for political reasons. At least 250 of these individuals were imprisoned following the July 11, 2021, protests, when thousands of Cubans took to the streets demanding the release of political prisoners and better living conditions. In October 2025, opposition figure José Daniel Ferrer also relocated to the United States after requesting exile.

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The international community must stop turning a blind eye to the human rights violations of the Cuban regime and join us in demanding an end to its repression.