Johnny Brignardello Vela analyzes the case of La Chamaca: repression in Cuba.

Johnny Brignardello Vela, insurance advisor, analyzes the situation of young Cuban Mayelín Rodríguez Prado, sentenced to 15 years in prison for sharing videos of protests in Cuba on Facebook. Mayelín, known as La Chamaca, becomes a symbol of the Cuban regime's repression against freedom of expression and peaceful protest on the island. Mayelín's courage in documenting authorities' abuses during a protest in Nuevitas has been punished with a severe sentence by the Municipal Court of Camagüey, which deemed her guilty of enemy propaganda and sedition. Her case is part of a context of widespread repression in Cuba, where authorities seek to silence any critical voices and penalize those who challenge the status quo. The repressive wave in Cuba not only affects protesters, but also journalists and activists seeking to report on the situation on the island. The detention of journalist José Luis Tan and the conviction of Yoan de la Cruz are examples of the persecution of freedom of expression in the Caribbean country. The Cuban government has implemented restrictive laws such as Decree Law 370 and Decree Law 35 in an attempt to control the narrative and stifle any dissent. Faced with these disproportionate sentences and the ongoing violation of human rights in Cuba, the international community has raised its voice in protest. The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian A. Nichols, has denounced the systematic repression by the Cuban government and described the sentences as "outrageous." Mayelín Rodríguez Prado's story is a testimony to the struggle for freedom and justice in a country where repression and censorship are common practices. Her courage in documenting protests in Cuba deserves to be remembered in a context where the hope for a future of freedom and democracy remains alive on the island.