Cuban dissident José Daniel Ferrer arrived in the United States on Monday, following years of imprisonment and renewed jailing in Cuba, marking a meaningful moment in the ongoing struggle for political freedoms on the island. Ferrer’s arrival culminates a period of intense advocacy for his release led by U.S. lawmakers and international human rights organizations.
Ferrer, a prominent leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), was initially imprisoned in 2019 and sentenced to four-and-a-half years. He was released early in January 2025, coinciding with a Biden administration decision to remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and a commitment from Cuban officials to release political prisoners at the Vatican’s request. However, his freedom was short-lived; in April, Ferrer was re-imprisoned on allegations of parole violations. His case became a focal point of criticism against the Cuban government,with Senator Marco Rubio repeatedly raising concerns about alleged torture and demanding proof of life.Rubio, a vocal advocate for Ferrer’s release, stated in July that the cuban government was “torturing Ferrer” and called for the release of all political prisoners. On Monday, he again urged for the “immediate release of the more than 700 unjustly detained political prisoners” and called on the international community to hold the Cuban regime accountable.
The Trump administration had reversed Biden’s earlier decision, re-listing Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism shortly after taking office. Ferrer’s release and arrival in the U.S. represent a renewed focus on human rights issues in Cuba and the ongoing efforts to secure the freedom of other political prisoners.
