Arrest and looting by State Security in Holguín

By Ramón Zamora.

National Spokesperson of the Republican Party of Cuba.

Holguín, Cuba. State Security intensified its repression in Holguín against opposition leader Ramón Zamora Rodríguez, the National Spokesperson for the Republican Party of Cuba and Secretary of the Independent Trade Union Association of Cuba in Holguín Province. Last Wednesday, October 5th, at 11:46 am, they made a false call instructing him to pick up a package at the Cargo Center. Upon arrival, Zamora Rodríguez and activist Mailin Ricardo Góngora were arrested at 12:14 pm by G2 agents under the command of someone who identified himself as the Chief of Confrontation without giving his name. They were taken to the Pedernales torture center, run by Castro's State Security, located on the outskirts of Holguín.

Ramón Zamora was then handcuffed and placed in a Criminalistics vehicle, and a military escort went to his home with a search warrant. The meticulous search began at 3:36 pm, during which Criminalistics officers seized 7 flash drives, discs, and anti-Castro propaganda. In addition, they confiscated the cell phones of Ramón Zamora, Mailin Ricardo, and Yisan Zamora Ricardo, who was also taken to the Pedernales Torture Center after the looting of the house concluded at 6:27 pm.

The G2 agent, who identified himself as the head of the confrontation, went to the Lenin Hospital where Lisan Zamora Ricardo was working to arrest him. At just 18 years old, he was thrown into a completely walled-off cell with poor ventilation and dim lighting at 7:02 pm, as were Ramón and Yisan in separate cells. They were accused of disturbing the peace because on the night of Tuesday the 4th, they had staged a loud pot-banging protest in the street during a blackout and strongly demonstrated against the Castro regime. Activist Mailin Ricardo was released that same day around 8:29 pm and, in total darkness, alone and facing the dangers of the night, was forced to walk the nearly 9 kilometers from Pedernales to her home, arriving around 10:00 pm, risking assault or any other danger inherent to the complex times Cuba is experiencing today due to the misery inflicted on the people by the failed Castro dictatorship.

Ramón Zamora, Coordinator of the Cuban Platform for Freedom in the Eastern Region, was also threatened for his activities and social media posts, as was Mailin Ricardo. Yisan Zamora was made aware that his barbershop could be confiscated for his opposition to the regime. In the case of union leader Lisan Zamora Ricardo, who was working at the Lenin Hospital until his arrest, he was expelled this past Thursday, October 13th, on orders from the Castro regime's G2 intelligence service. Repression, cruelty, and hatred demonstrate the obsolete Castro dictatorship's fear of its own resounding downfall, and these repressive actions are a prime example.

Lisan Zamora was beaten, handcuffed with what are known as "Shakira" handcuffs, and thrown to the ground, where he was held for nearly two hours. He called his father and brother to check if they were there. When they tried to take him back to his cell, they shoved him, and in the process, he lost the toenail on his second left toe. After more than 72 hours on hunger strike, they were released on Saturday the 8th around 3:00 pm, while an officer filmed the entire process of their departure from this hellish torture center, without the consent of any of the detainees.

The cell phones in the possession of the criminal investigation unit will be claimed by these peaceful opposition members, as these cell phone thefts are frequently repeated against them when they are arrested by the Regime's Security forces. At this time, none of these opposition members from Holguín have cell phones; they are in the possession of the G2 intelligence service.

Ramón Zamora Rodríguez.

National Spokesperson of the Republican Party of Cuba.