In a country simmering with civil unrest, the arrest of a Protestant pastor in Cuba adds another dimension to the ongoing tumult. Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora found himself in police custody shortly after uploading a Bible lesson on YouTube.
Pastor Pérez Lora was detained by authorities in Peñas Altas, Matanzas, following the video upload in a local park, one of the few spots with public Wi-Fi access. The arrest occurred on March 15, during a period marked by widespread protests and riots across Cuba. Just a day prior, the Communist Party offices in Moron were set ablaze by rioters, heightening tensions.
Video footage captured during the arrest shows Pastor Pérez Lora being pushed into a police car, where he can be heard protesting, “You’re mistreating me for no reason; I haven’t done anything wrong; this man is mistreating me.”
Although he was released within hours, Pastor Pérez Lora shared with Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) that this was not his first encounter with governmental pressures. His ministry has frequently faced suppression efforts, he explained, citing past harassment.
“In the East [of Cuba] we were always persecuted. It was very serious … I always made it clear I wanted to serve all the people, I shared as much as I could, the majority of times all by myself and the authorities looked badly upon this work,” he said.
Reflecting on his experiences in Las Tunas, he recounted numerous instances where State Security summoned him, and police patrols monitored his home. “Every time we went out to do a spiritual walk, to pray for the town, we were followed constantly by the police … there are many stories … I know that we are not alone, that there are many people who want to help, especially in this moment when it is so needed.”
Reports from Cuban legal sources to CSW indicate a broader crackdown, with several online influencers being detained or placed under house arrest to quell dissent.
Anna Lee Stangl, CSW’s director of advocacy, criticized the arrest, stating that Pastor Pérez Lora was “clearly been targeted simply because he shared his faith publicly and because of his influence in his community”.
“While we are relieved that he was released within hours, he never should have been detained in the first place,” she declared. She called for an end to the harassment of religious leaders and others addressing urgent needs across the island.
Stangl urged international voices to pressure the Cuban Communist Party to cease its illegal detentions and respect the freedom of expression for civil society members.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
