The Personal and Painful Reality of Life Under Surveillance

Photo by VOA. Abraham Jimenez Enoa in Spain.

The personal and painful reality of life under surveillance is documented in an intimate new film that follows an independent Cuban journalist’s flight into exile.

A Life of Surveillance

After tough questioning by Cuban police, Abraham Jimenez Enoa relates his ordeal on camera. He recalls being forced to strip and being handcuffed in a room by five men, and the nausea after being forced into a car and driven around. Enoa, who was writing columns for The Washington Post from Cuba, said agents accused him of being a CIA agent.

“They said if I published another article in The Washington Post they were going to destroy my family,” he said.

A Family’s Struggle

The interview is just one of several harrowing accounts in a hard-hitting documentary filmed secretly by Enoa and his wife Claudia Calvino as they struggled to cope with police surveillance and becoming parents for the first time. The young family went into exile in Spain in 2022 after Enoa said authorities gave him an ultimatum: leave or he would be jailed.

Harassment in Havana

When Enoa was a child, Cuba’s revolutionary leaders loomed large in his life. His grandfather was a bodyguard to Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. In the documentary, he shows the viewer around his grandparents’ home, which is filled with photographs of Castro and Guevara. But a career in journalism forced Enoa to leave behind his revolutionary family — and roots. In 2016, Enoa founded an independent magazine, El Estornudo (The Sneeze).

The Price of Exile

Legal threats and surveillance drive many Cubans into exile. But as the film “Isla Familia” shows, transitioning to live in a free country with a young family can be a cultural shock. Negotiating the Barcelona metro appears scary. “How deep is it?” asks Enoa. Exile carries a cost as he tries to speak to relatives back home on faltering telephone lines and cannot send condolences when his grandmother dies.

Conclusion

The documentary “Isla Familia” provides a powerful and intimate look at the daily pressures faced by independent journalists under the Cuban communist government. The film is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of freedom of expression.

FAQs

Q: What is the documentary “Isla Familia” about?
A: The documentary follows the story of Abraham Jimenez Enoa, an independent Cuban journalist who fled to Spain after being threatened by the Cuban government.

Q: What is the Cuban government’s response to the documentary?
A: The Cuban government has not responded to requests for comment on the documentary.

Q: What is the current situation for independent journalists in Cuba?
A: Independent journalists in Cuba face significant challenges, including harassment, surveillance, and imprisonment. The Cuban government has also passed a social communication law that restricts online media and gives the government the power to restrict content.

Q: What is the future for Abraham Jimenez Enoa and his family?
A: Enoa and his wife Claudia Calvino have been granted Spanish citizenship and are building a life in Spain. However, Enoa knows he cannot return to Cuba due to the risk of arrest.