Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora Arrested in Cuba After Uploading Bible Video

On 15 March, Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora was arrested by political police officers in a park in Peñas Altas, Matanzas, northern Cuba, shortly after uploading a Bible teaching video to his YouTube channel. The source does not specify the offence the officers believed he had committed. Pastor Pérez stated that he records and uploads videos weekly in the park because it is one of only two locations in the area with public Wi-Fi. His wife, Gelayne Rodríguez Ávila, often joins him and prays for those who gather to listen.

Video footage recorded by Mrs. Rodríguez depicts her husband being forced into a patrol car by two officers. In the footage, he protests, stating, “You’re mistreating me for no reason. I haven’t done anything wrong,” while the cries of his young children are audible in the background. Pastor Pérez was taken to the Playa Police Station, where he was held for three hours before being released several kilometres from his home. He subsequently walked home, a journey that took an additional three hours.

The following day, authorities in Morón, in the central province of Ciego de Ávila, detained Pastor Elier Muir Ávila and his 16-year-old son, Jonathan Muir Burgos. Pastor Muir, who leads the independent Protestant Tiempo de Cosecha (‘Harvest Time’) Church, was released hours later the same day. However, Jonathan, a minor with a serious medical condition, remained detained for two days at the time of the report.

During his detention, Jonathan was reportedly interrogated about his participation in protests that took place in Morón on 13 and 14 March. During those demonstrations, some protesters sacked and set fire to the offices of the Cuban Communist Party (CCP) in the city. Jonathan has not been formally charged, but officials asked whether he had specifically called for freedom during the demonstrations.

The source notes that the arbitrary detention of religious leaders and their minor family members is not unprecedented in Cuba. These incidents occur against a backdrop of renewed protests, indicating that the island is at a crisis point. The situation recalls events in July 2021, when spontaneous protests spread across the island as Cubans took to the streets shouting “patria y vida” (homeland and life). This phrase was a twist on the long-standing CCP slogan “patria o muerte” (homeland or death).

The 2021 demonstrations focused primarily on shortages of basic necessities, which were made more acute by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many protesters also called for social and political change. The current incidents highlight the intersection of civil unrest and the treatment of ministry leadership, raising questions about institutional accountability and the safety of those exercising religious expression.

In contexts where legal due process is unclear and detention appears arbitrary, the pursuit of justice demands a commitment to truth and mercy. The principle of seeking justice for the oppressed, as reflected in Micah 6:8, underscores the moral imperative to protect the vulnerable and hold power to account. Similarly, the call to defend the rights of the weak, as seen in Proverbs 31:8-9, resonates with the situation of a minor detained without formal charge.

These events remind the faithful that public truth and neighbor-love require vigilance in the face of institutional overreach. The dignity of the individual, whether a pastor or a child, must be safeguarded against arbitrary state action. As the community of faith engages with these realities, it is called to uphold the values of peace, accountability, and care for victims, ensuring that the pursuit of justice remains grounded in compassion and integrity.

Source: Read the original report