Overview

• Ferrer left Cuba on Monday with relatives after being moved from Mar Verde prison to Santiago de Cuba’s airport for a flight to the United States.
• The Cuban foreign ministry said his departure occurred at Washington’s request with Ferrer’s express acceptance of exile.
• In a recent prison letter, Ferrer alleged blows, torture, humiliation, threats, and extreme conditions, citing threats to his wife and young son as reasons for leaving.
• The UNPACU founder has been a leading opposition figure since the 2003 Black Spring and was reimprisoned in April after a brief January release under a deal reported as tied to changes to the U.S. terrorism list.
• Relatives and observers described his exit as a setback for Cuba’s pro-democracy movement during a deep economic crisis and a continued outflow of citizens.