Click Cuba reports:
Héctor Luis Valdés Cocho, known for his political activism and his criticism of the Cuban regime, faces an increasingly complicated situation. He is currently in the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), detained at the Broward Transition Center, Florida. However, his case has taken an unexpected turn, not only due to rumors of a possible transfer to the Guantanamo Naval Base, but also due to reports of alleged scams that have darkened his reputation.
Various people have publicly accused Valdés Cocho of questionable practices that include alleged financial deception. These accusations, although they have not been officially confirmed, have affected his image and reduced the support he received within the Cuban diaspora. “It is difficult to support someone who, although critical of the regime, appears to have acted unethically. This tarnishes the fight of true defenders of human rights,” said a Cuban activist who preferred not to be identified.
From a November 2024 Ciber Cuba report:
The Cuban opposition figure Héctor Luis Valdés Cocho, 33 years old, was arrested on November 19 in Orange County, Florida. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that Valdés’ arrest is linked to two outstanding warrants issued outside the county, specifically in the Río Indio area.
Raisel Isidrón, a Cuban activist residing in the United States, posted an extensive denunciation on Facebook against Valdés, accusing him of using his activism as a front to scam multiple individuals. The Cuban journalist Camila Acosta, who is also listed as a victim, used her Facebook profile to share her experience and support others affected.
Most testimonies describe a pattern in which Valdés solicited money under false pretenses, including family emergencies, health issues, and support for activism-related projects. Other whistleblowers chose to remain anonymous, although they privately shared their stories.
From a 2021 press release:
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 100/2021 on December 1, 2021, to grant precautionary measures in favor of the journalist Héctor Luis Valdés Cocho and his partner, a human rights defender, in Cuba, in the belief that they face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable damage to their rights.
The parties who requested these precautionary measures said that Valdés Cocho is an independent journalist who self-identifies as gay and who has been subjected to harassment, arrests, and other forms of violence by Cuban authorities, as has been his partner, “X,” an Afro-descendant human rights defender.
The parties who requested these precautionary measures reported that the proposed beneficiaries had been subjected to constant hounding, interrogation, harassment, and threats by officers of the State’s law enforcement agencies. The Commission is disappointed that the State has failed to provide its own observations, although they were requested in keeping with Article 25.5 of the IACHR’s Rules of Procedure.
The first report above is via Google Translate. It appears that Valdes Cocho has been in the US since 2022, likely due to the action cited above.
Héctor Luis Valdés Cocho, conocido por su activismo político y sus críticas al régimen cubano, enfrenta una situación cada vez más complicada. Actualmente, se encuentra bajo custodia del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos…https://t.co/jisFsGrEoW
— ClickCuba (@ClickCuba) January 30, 2025
Detienen a Héctor Luis Valdés Cocho en EE.UU. en medio de escándalo por estafas
Leer más: https://t.co/jsvQkTsUZ4 pic.twitter.com/RQqHHt1J3u
— CiberCuba – Noticias de Cuba 🇨🇺 (@CiberCuba) November 21, 2024
Gay Cuban MAGA is deportedhttps://t.co/pogEYl1wFE
— Francis Dunne (@limerickblog) January 31, 2025