{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-article-js","path":"/cuban-artist-luis-manuel-otero-alcantara-is-missing-after-jail-sentence-ends/","result":{"data":{"wordpressPost":{"id":124936,"slug":"cuban-artist-luis-manuel-otero-alcantara-is-missing-after-jail-sentence-ends","title":"Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara is missing after jail sentence ends","excerpt":"Jailed for five years for insulting national symbols","content":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-1230x623.jpeg\" alt=\"Head and shoulder portrait of Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. \" class=\"wp-image-59029\" srcset=\"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-1230x623.jpeg 1230w, https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-600x304.jpeg 600w, https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-300x152.jpeg 300w, https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-768x389.jpeg 768w, https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel.jpeg 1319w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1230px) 100vw, 1230px\" /><figcaption>Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. Photo: Natasha Pizzey. Courtesy Amnesty International </figcaption></figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara has been reported missing following the expiration his jail sentence.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Otero Alcántara was arrested in 2021 for insulting national symbols. Handed <a href=\"https://artreview.com/cuban-artist-jailed-for-five-years-over-decree-349/\">a five year sentence</a>, he was due to be released on 9 July. Instead, State Security agents removed him from Guanajay Prison and his whereabouts is unknown. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the leading figures in the activist <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://artreview.com/artist/san-isidro-movement-27n/?year=2021\" target=\"_blank\">San Isidro Movement</a>, which protest the increasing government oppression and censorship on the Caribbean island, Otero Alcántara had previously been in and out of <a href=\"https://artreview.com/news-20-august-2019-cuban-artist-luis-manuel-otero-alcntara-arrested/\">jail</a> and house arrest. In 2021 <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://artreview.com/cuban-artist-luis-manuel-otero-alcantara-forced-into-hospital-after-hunger-strike/\" target=\"_blank\">Otero Alcántara went on hunger strike</a> to protest his persecution and the confiscation of his artworks, many of which feature the Cuban flag. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cubalex, a human rights NGO, attempted to file a habeas corpus petition for his release last week, but originally found both the Provincial People’s Court of Havana – including the street where it is located – the competent body to hear the request, as well as the Supreme People’s Court, remained closed despite it being a regular working day. The organisation first emailed its protest, then submitted it formally on 13 July. The relevant judicial authorities now have a legal deadline of 72 hours to issue a response.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The UN Secretariat has also requested information concerning the artist’s status from the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations Office at Geneva.</p>\n","path":"/cuban-artist-luis-manuel-otero-alcantara-is-missing-after-jail-sentence-ends/","format":"standard","date":"14 July 2026","rawDate":"2026-07-14T15:24:04.000Z","branch":{"name":"artreview.com"},"author":{"name":"ArtReview","path":"/author/artreview/"},"category":{"name":"News","path":"/category/news/"},"featured_media":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel.jpeg","caption":"Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. Photo: Natasha Pizzey. Courtesy Amnesty International ","alt_text":"","media_details":{"width":1319,"height":668,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-300x152.jpeg","width":300,"height":152},"medium":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-600x304.jpeg","width":600,"height":304},"large":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/manuel-1230x623.jpeg","width":1230,"height":623},"wordpress_1536x1536":null,"wordpress_2048x2048":null}}},"acf":{"article_artist":null,"article_video":null,"article_audio":null,"article_collaboration":"","article_custom_html_snippet":"","article_featured_title":"","article_featured_description":"","article_highlight":false,"article_custom_link_url":"","hero_image":null,"seo_title":"","seo_description":"","article_related_articles":[{"id":124893,"title":"Edward Lucie-Smith, poet and critic for ArtReview, 1933–2026","path":"/edward-lucie-smith-poet-and-critic-for-artreview-1933-2026/","author":{"name":"ArtReview","path":"/author/artreview/"},"category":{"name":"News","path":"/category/news/"},"featured_media":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Edward_lucie_smith-1.jpg","caption":"","alt_text":"","media_details":{"width":542,"height":304,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Edward_lucie_smith-1-300x168.jpg","width":300,"height":168},"medium":null,"large":null,"wordpress_1536x1536":null,"wordpress_2048x2048":null}}},"acf":{"article_collaboration":""}},{"id":124843,"title":"Museum of Old and New Art to open space in Bangkok","path":"/museum-of-old-and-new-art-to-open-space-in-bangkok/","author":{"name":"ArtReview","path":"/author/artreview/"},"category":{"name":"News","path":"/category/news/"},"featured_media":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/slack-imgs.png","caption":"","alt_text":"","media_details":{"width":2048,"height":1152,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/slack-imgs-300x169.png","width":300,"height":169},"medium":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/slack-imgs-600x338.png","width":600,"height":338},"large":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/slack-imgs-1230x692.png","width":1230,"height":692},"wordpress_1536x1536":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/slack-imgs-1536x864.png","width":1536,"height":864},"wordpress_2048x2048":null}}},"acf":{"article_collaboration":""}},{"id":124803,"title":"Hauser & Wirth cleared of Russian sanctions charge","path":"/hauser-and-wirth-cleared-of-russian-sanction-charges/","author":{"name":"ArtReview","path":"/author/artreview/"},"category":{"name":"News","path":"/category/news/"},"featured_media":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SterlingRubyHauserWirthEXHMExteriorView-1.jpg","caption":"Exterior shot of the Sterling Ruby's EXHM art exhibition held at Hauser & Wirth in London in 2013. The exhibition or artist is not implicit in the allegations. Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons. ","alt_text":"The windows of an art gallery","media_details":{"width":1600,"height":949,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SterlingRubyHauserWirthEXHMExteriorView-1-300x178.jpg","width":300,"height":178},"medium":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SterlingRubyHauserWirthEXHMExteriorView-1-600x356.jpg","width":600,"height":356},"large":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SterlingRubyHauserWirthEXHMExteriorView-1-1230x730.jpg","width":1230,"height":730},"wordpress_1536x1536":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SterlingRubyHauserWirthEXHMExteriorView-1-1536x911.jpg","width":1536,"height":911},"wordpress_2048x2048":null}}},"acf":{"article_collaboration":""}},{"id":124691,"title":"Busan Biennale announces artists for 2026 edition","path":"/busan-biennale-announces-artists-for-2026-edition/","author":{"name":"ArtReview","path":"/author/artreview/"},"category":{"name":"News","path":"/category/news/"},"featured_media":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Untitled_1.99.1.jpg","caption":"Natasha Tontey, <i>Garden Amidst the Flame</i> (still), 2022, HD film, 27 min. Courtesy the artist","alt_text":"","media_details":{"width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Untitled_1.99.1-300x169.jpg","width":300,"height":169},"medium":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Untitled_1.99.1-600x338.jpg","width":600,"height":338},"large":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Untitled_1.99.1-1230x692.jpg","width":1230,"height":692},"wordpress_1536x1536":null,"wordpress_2048x2048":null}}},"acf":{"article_collaboration":""}},{"id":124649,"title":"Massimiliano Gioni appointed New Museum director","path":"/massimiliano-gioni-promoted-to-new-museum-director/","author":{"name":"ArtReview","path":"/author/artreview/"},"category":{"name":"News","path":"/category/news/"},"featured_media":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/MassimilianoGioniFinal2of2-e1669309299994.jpg","caption":"Courtesy New Museum, New York","alt_text":"headshot of Massimiliano Gioni","media_details":{"width":1200,"height":780,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/MassimilianoGioniFinal2of2-e1669309299994-300x195.jpg","width":300,"height":195},"medium":{"source_url":"https://backend.artreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/MassimilianoGioniFinal2of2-e1669309299994-600x390.jpg","width":600,"height":390},"large":null,"wordpress_1536x1536":null,"wordpress_2048x2048":null}}},"acf":{"article_collaboration":""}}]}}},"pageContext":{"wordpress_id":124936,"categorySlugs":["news"]}},"staticQueryHashes":["1047144546","1199547381","1199547381","1200741782","1200741782","2238591713","3764592887","4156135988","753543242","753543242","919364628"]}