A prominent Cuban dissident artist, whose prison sentence ended last week but whose whereabouts remain unknown, has obtained permission to travel to the United States, his official page posted Friday.
Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2022 for insulting national symbols, contempt and disturbing the public order.
He was detained in July 2021 as he was leaving his home in Havana to join unprecedented mass protests across the communist island.
"The parole application of Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara to enter the United States has been approved," a post on a Facebook page managed by his close friends read.
In this instance, "parole" refers to entering and temporarily residing in the United States.
The 38-year-old was transferred from a prison to a state security force facility on July 7, two days before finishing his term.
Cuban authorities have not provided any information about his whereabouts since then.
Cubalex, a Miami-based NGO, on Thursday denounced what it views as an "illegal denial of freedom."
Communist officials want to isolate Otero Alcantara while he awaits permission to be exiled to the US, Cubalex believes.
Havana has accused him of acting on behalf of Washington to destabilize Cuba.