Yoel Acosta, an independent journalist and human rights activist in Cuba, asked for financial support from Uruguay, where he was exiled with his wife after being forced to leave the island.
Arriving in Uruguay, Acosta and his wife found themselves in a critical economic situation while they waited for the documentation that would allow them to work legally.
“We decided to come to Uruguay with the little money we have. This time I have to ask friends, agencies and people who, if they can and want to, help me. I am open to any help, ” said the activist.
Acosta is asking for support to pay for rent, food and other basic expenses. He also asked for work contacts, because even though he has found employment options, he has not yet completed them because he still does not have documents on his residence.
“Uruguay opened its doors, it is a democratic country where if you work you can meet your needs. I like it, it is a free country and its president is against the dictatorship of Cuba,” said the journalist, who hopes to be able to rebuild his life in this new country.
The Cuban lived for four months in Brazil and reported that he never found a job there despite his insistence. He considered that the refusals were due to the closeness of the government of that country to Cuba.
Acosta had to leave her 8-year-old son to care for sick relatives because of threats from the Cuban regime for practicing independent journalism and showing the reality experienced by the Cuban people.
“Because of all the interviews and reports I published in the media like ADN Cuba, Cubanet, Cibercuba and the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, the regime retaliated against me. It’s not one or two years, it’s been several years that I became practicing journalism independent within Cuba,” Acosta declared in an exclusive interview with Cuban DNA.
The activist reported being imprisoned 3 times in 8 years under false accusations such as “resistance”, “contempt” and “attack against state security.”
“They accused me of defaming the revolution and tarnishing the image of the regime just for showing the real truth that Cubans live,” he said.
